Five die after cholera outbreak in East Pokot

By Standard Team

Five people died following an outbreak of what is suspected to be cholera in East Pokot District.

District Hospital Medical Superintendent Robert Pukose said medical personnel were on Tuesday evening dispatched to monitor the situation.

"Our worry is that the outbreak may spread to Baringo, Marigat and other areas," he said.

There were fears the disease may spread due to movement by the pastoralists.

A resident claimed 10 people had died after developing symptoms linked to the epidemic.

Crisis meeting

On Thursday, medical officers from the affected areas held a meeting to deliberate on the outbreak. Mr Pukose advised residents to observe hygiene.

At the same time, more than 30 people have died of the disease in Turkana Central District in the last three months. Four schools have subsequently been closed down. In Turkana Central, five pupils died at Napelilim Primary School.

Medical Officer of Health Gilchrist Lokoel said the outbreak had persisted due to shortage of medical personnel and insufficient funding.

But local leaders said the number is higher as medical personnel are not reaching villages where scores are falling sick daily.

Meanwhile, officials say only 30 per cent of water being consumed in Nairobi is unsafe.

This is water supplied by some water tankers, bore holes, and water emanating from Nairobi River.

Director of Water Resources John Nyaoro said on Thursday water served by Nairobi Water Company was safe for human consumption.

Speaking after conducting tests on samples in Dandora and Korogocho, Mr Nyaoro said results had indicated the recent cholera outbreaks were not associated with water.

No pathogen

"Chlorine presence in our tap water samples is between 0.3 to 0.5 parts per million and no pathogen of cholera or dysentery would survive in these conditions," he said.

Nyaoro said the Government had conducted tests on 106 of the 300 water tankers and only 36 were found distributing unsafe water.