Covid-19 interventions boosts war on Cholera as counties record zero cases

Cholera outbreaks have not been recorded this year in Nyanza compared to last year when scores died from the disease.

Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay counties have not had a single case of diarrhoeal disease since the onset of Covid-19. Health officials attribute the gains against cholera to adherence to coronavirus public health measures.

Last year, several cholera cases were recorded in Kisumu with statistics indicating that in the month of September, two fatalities were reported. In 2018, four deaths were recorded out of 52 cholera infections.

This year, health officials confirmed that there have been no cases reported which signals the positive impact measures such as using sanitisers and washing hands have had. The measures kicked in following the coronavirus pandemic.

Kisumu County Director for Health Fredrick Oluoch said: “We will continue to encourage residents to adhere to these measures."

In Siaya, the health department said it has been a while since cholera cases were reported. Officials said the last cholera outbreak was reported in 2017.

In Homa Bay, officials said there has not been a single cholera case this year compared to last year when hospitals handled a number of cases. County Director of health and sanitation Gordon Okomo said diarrhoeal disease have rapidly gone down. He said the cases have gone down by 32 per cent.

In Migori, officials said the drop in diarrhoeal diseases can be attributed to guidelines put in place to curb spread of Covid-19.