Health officials in Busia and Malaba towns have been put on high alert following the outbreak of the deadly avian flu in neighbouring Uganda.
Busia Health executive Maurice Siminyu said Kenya will closely work with Uganda to contain the disease.
Ugandan poultry farmers have expressed fears they could lose Ush7 billion (Sh233 million) after exportation of poultry to Rwanda and Kenya were banned.
Uganda’s Health minister Sarah Opendi has called for calm, saying the flu is not spreading. Siminyu said the disease can kill both humans and animals. He was speaking during the launch of the polio vaccination campaign at Matayos market on Wednesday. The function was presided over by Deputy Governor Kizito Wangalwa.
Dr Emmanuel Okunga from the Health ministry’s Disease Surveillance and Response Unit said they have convened a meeting of national and county government officials to plan how to deal with the outbreak.
He said health officials on the border will start screening people suspected to have contracted the disease, whose symptoms include coughing, high fever and breathing difficulties.
Okunga said the disease affects mostly chicken and wild ducks. He urged residents to report deaths and unusual behaviour in chicken to the nearest veterinary authorities.
County director of health Melsa Lutomia said they will impose a temporary ban on importation of eggs and birds on the border until the outbreak is contained. She urged residents to cooperate with health officials.
The disease was reported in Uganda on Sunday. Authorities said it was brought by migratory birds from Europe. Agriculture minister Christopher Kibazanga said fishermen witnessed mass deaths of wild birds.
Avian flu facts
Avian flu occurs among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other birds and animal species. The virus does not normally infect human beings. However, sporadic cases of human infections have occurred.
Health experts advise that the best prevention is to avoid sources of exposure because most human infections have occurred following direct or prolonged contact with sick or dead infected poultry.
Human infections can happen when a certain amount of the virus gets into a person’s eye, nose or mouth or is inhaled. This can happen when the virus is in the air (in droplets or possibly dust), then a person who comes into contact with it touches their mouth, eyes or nose.