Atleast four people have been confirmed dead after contracting cholera in Kiambu.
Health executive Joseph Murega on Thursday said 286 have been treated and discharged after contracting the disease.
During a press conference on the outbreak, Murega said 13 new cases had been reported as of Wednesday where Ruiru had five cases, Juja six cases, Kiambaa one, and Thika town one case.
"Thirteen new cases of cholera were reported on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases listed in Kiambu to 286 cases as of December 28," Murega said.
He said the risk factors identified to be propagating the outbreak of the disease include poor sanitation and hygiene practices such as not boiling drinking water, eating raw foodstuffs such as salads washed with unclean water and
Also, failure to wash hands regularly was mentioned as a risk factor.
Murega said Thika, Juja and Ruiru are high-risk areas where cholera has been reported.
So far, Ruiru has recorded 51 cases, with 14 patients from the subcounty and Juja have been admitted at Ruiru level four cholera treatment," Murega said.
The county official also said that the other cases most of which have been treated and discharged were reported in Juja 79, Thika 63, Kabete 25, Githunguri 290, Kiambaa 15, Limuru 11, Kiambu town 10, Kiambaa 15, Gatundu South 3, Kikuyu 3, Gatundu north 2, Lari 2 and unknown 2.
Murega said the county has moved with speed to conduct safety water assessments with the community to eliminate potential or suspected sources of contamination.
They have accelerated health education and promoted water treatment at the household level.
The county government has however called on all food handlers to be medically examined and acquire valid medical certificates and avoid selling food in open during the period of the outbreak.
Early this month two brothers from Komo village in Thika East died after eating mudfish and started exhibiting Cholera symptoms including severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
In October the first case of Cholera outbreak was reported in Kiambu where 15 people were rushed to hospital in severe condition after consuming food at a wedding ceremony in Limuru.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi said that it was found that the bride and the bridegroom had outsourced food and drinks from different caterers/vendors and different locations in Nairobi and Kabete subcounty.
"Food had been prepared from Nairobi in Kileleshwa," he said.
Water, Environment, and Natural resources executive David Kuria said that his department had cautioned water vendors from distributing unclean water to the public.
"We have listed all water vendors who we are keeping check that they must provide clean water to the people," he said.
Kuria said the county government is working hand in hand with the national government so that all the policies they have come up with in terms of maintaining hygiene and providing clean water and better sanitation are followed.
"We have expanded the sewer, water and enforced issues of connection. We are urging people to take treated water from the water companies who are mandated as it is accessible and also cheap and boils water before drinking," he said.
