Guests attending a conference at Weston Hotel in Nairobi are unlikely to be suffering from cholera, doctors have said, but taken measures to prevent an outbreak.
It was earlier reported that more than 50 people attending 'The Kenya International Scientific Lung Health Conference' had the disease.
Reports from some doctors indicated 60 people were rushed to Nairobi's Kenyatta National Hospital.
"Afternoon doctors should come in early as more patients are being rushed in," read a text message one of the doctors sent his colleagues.
Medics tested patients who suffered diarrhoea and vomiting.
At least 10 guests, including three doctors attending the conference, had abdominal cramps after having lunch.
Medics who attended to them could not confirm the infection but Nairobi Health CEC Bernard Muia said it was unlikely to be cholera.
“They had diarrhoea not typical of cholera, abdominal pains and vomiting,” he said.
Muia said samples were taken to the public health laboratories in the city for testing.
“It's most probably food poisoning and could be gastroenteritis, a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting,” he told The Star.
Dr George Nyale, chairman of the conference organised by the Health ministry, confirmed the outbreak but said there was no cause for alarm.
In the afternoon, two of the guests were admitted at Nairobi hospital, one Karen Hospital and another at the Aga Khan facility.
The Weston scare came as officers from the Naivasha department of public health investigated nine suspected cases of cholera.
The patients suffering diarrhea and other symptoms related to cholera were treated at Naivasha sub-county hospital where two cases were confirmed.
A man who had the disease was treated and discharged.
A junior officer, who did not want to be named as he is not authorised to address the press, said the nine cases were from different estates in the town.
The officer added that some of the patients were relatives of two cholera patients earlier treated at the hospital.
“We have treated nine suspected cases of cholera and have put in place all measures to avoid another outbreak, especially now that it’s raining heavily,” said the officer.
Dr Joseph Mburu, superintendent in charge of the county hospital, confirmed by phone that the last patient had been released.
“The county has dispatched the outbreak response team and supplied enough drugs after the two positive cases,” said the officer.
Story updated