A young child
has died while more than 60 people are infected with Swine flufollowing an
outbreak in Nanyuki, Laikipia.
According to the county health Chief Officer Dr Donald Mogoim, most of the patients have been treated at
Nanyuki Teaching and Referral hospital.
“Two weeks ago, a young child died at Cottage hospital in Nanyuki town. We decided to take samples to the national public health laboratories for tests and on Tuesday two of the samples were positive for HIN1 prototype 9
virus,” Dr Mogoi said on Wednesday.
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Nanyuki Cottage hospital is a private health facility that serves residents of Laikipia and Nyeri counties.
Director of medical services Dr Waihenya Mwangi said
symptoms of the disease are red eyes, high fever, sour throats, dry cough and general body weaknesses.
The officers attributed the outbreak to weather changes occasioned by the ongoing rains.
Dr Mogoi said children and the elderly are the most vulnerable owing to their low immunity.
The disease is spread through the air.
“Our public officers will be out there in the field and especially in the learning institutions to create awareness of the disease,” Dr Mogoi said.
He advised people to exercise coughing etiquette and general body hygiene like washing hands after greeting people.
