At least five children have died from measles complications, the Turkana county health department has confirmed.
The county said 295 measles cases have been reported in Turkana West subcounty.
Preventive health chief officer Peter Lomorukai said the first case was reported in March in Kalobeyei area of Turkana West and as from July 4, the cases had risen to 295 with five fatalities.
Lomorukai said the cases of measles have been reported in Turkana West because of the influx of refugees from South Sudan where measles outbreak was reported.
Turkana West hosts more than 300,000 refugees in Kakuma Refugee camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement.
Lomorukai said the Turkana people who were returning from Uganda have caused the cases to surge.
He said the measles vaccination campaign has started and it targets 39,515 children in Turkana West.
“County Health and Sanitation department has begun a five-day measles vaccination campaign in Turkana West subcounty, to curb the spread of the disease to neighbouring subcounties,” he said.
“Although surveillance and routine immunisation campaigns have since been intensified, the health department has sought to conduct a campaign from July 4-9, to combat this second wave of measles outbreak.”
Lomorukai said the campaign is targeting particularly the nomadic pastoralists which will ensure the disease does not spread to the other subcounties.
He added that the County Government will be further strengthen its routine immunisation and integrated outreaches to the remote areas.
