Health officials in Kaimbu county have remained alert as cases of Cholera in the county continue to rise.
The officials on Friday said 8 more cases of cholera were recorded, raising the total number of those affected to 294 from 286 on Thursday.
Currently, 28 people are hospitalized in various health facilities in the county as the disease continues to wreak havoc.
The outbreak has been residents attributed to lack of basic hygiene containment measures.
The residents say they lack clean drinking water and proper sewerage system.
County Executive for health Joseph Murega has noted that the county has recorded four community deaths due to cholera in the last two months alone.
Officials are now conducting door-to-door sensitization of residents with water samples having been collected for further testing and analysis.
“We want to make sure that food vendors have registered their businesses and have health certification apart from educating them on basic hygiene practices such as hand washing and sanitization,” Biashara ward MCA Kimani Nduta said.
Early this week, the Ministry of Health advised Kenyans to all Kenyans use clean and safe drinking/cooking water in an effort to contain the spread of the disease in the country.
“People are encouraged to ensure frequent hand washing and sanitization at all times, and wearing of facemasks in confined spaces,” health CS Susan Wafula said.
The ministry last week released and communicated a raft of measures to adhere to mitigate against further spread of epidemic-prone diseases, as well as reduce the number of cholera cases and potential fatalities.
“We have issued a cholera alert to all Health Care workers highlighting the importance of early detection, confirmation and management of suspected cases, while coordinating a whole of government and multiagency approach in accordance with disease outbreak management practices,” Wafula said.
Kenya has been battling a cholera outbreak that has so far seen a total of 1,947 cholera cases and 31 deaths recorded in the country since the first case was confirmed on October 19.
The 11 worst-hit counties include so far affected 11 counties Kiambu, Nairobi, Murang’a, Kajiado, Nakuru, Machakos, Garissa, Meru, Nyeri, Wajir and Uasin Gishu.
A person can get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with cholera bacteria.
The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.
