• One unconfirmed death reported at Nairobi Hospital
• Many patients admitted in hospitals across Nairobi
Image: FILE
Fear has gripped city residents following reports of a rise in the number of cholera cases in the last one month.
Unconfirmed reports said a Nairobi Hospital kitchen staff died from the disease while five colleagues were admitted .
“We have established that in the last 10 days, the hospital admitted, offered treatment and discharged 23 cholera patients. Eight of those reported cases were from The Nairobi Hospital staff,” acting CEO Chris Abeid said yesterday.
The hospital could not confirm or deny the alleged death of one of its kitchen staff.
Abeid said they have alerted county Health authorities and who have embarked on investigations.
“We will provide more details when they are available to us,” the CEO said.
Status on reported Cholera cases within The Nairobi Hospital @TheStarKenya @StandardKenya @NationBreaking @citizentvkenya @RadioCitizenFM @KTNNewsKE pic.twitter.com/Ph7q6JVaQQ
— The Nairobi Hospital (@thenairobihosp) April 16, 2019
Officials from the county and national government failed to respond to our questions.
Cholera is spread by ingesting contaminated food or drink. The disease causes acute watery diarrhoea and if not treated on time can kill within hours.
Interviews with medical practitioners across city hospitals established that many people were being treated fro cholera since the county government started rationing water following the current drought.
The most affected areas are Eastlands where in recent weeks people have contracted infections as a result of drinking water contaminated by raw sewage.
Most of the patients are being treated at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. Nurses at at MP Shah, KNH and Guru Nanak hospitals said they have treated a number of people suffering cholera.
“We didn’t know the water was contaminated until we noticed a strange smell. We have been using it unknowingly until many people started complaining of diseases with a number going to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital for treatment only to be found with cholera,” said a woman in Maringo who declined to be named.
“We are buying water for cleaning, drinking and showering. It is sad,” she said.
In 2007 at least four people were killed and thousands treated folliwng another outbreak of the disease in Nairobi forcing authorities to shut down a number of restaurants.