The number of Kenyans who have died due to the cholera outbreak currently stands at 99, data from the Ministry of Health shows.
The data shows 76 of those who have died are men while 23 are women with the case fatality rate standing at 1.5.
Nairobi has the highest number of deaths at 34, followed by Tana River at 18, Garissa 12, Wajir 11, Kiambu and Mandera five deaths each, Kitui four while Homa bay and Meru have three deaths each.
The total number of cholera cases reported since the first case was recorded last year in October stands at 6,391 as of March 7.
This is an increase of 531 new cases since February with Mandera recording the highest number of new cases at 278, followed by Nairobi at 97, Wajir at 63 and Kajiado 50.
Others include Garissa with 27, Machakos and Kiambu with five each and West Pokot with three cases.
“Garissa and Tana River counties have the highest attack rates of cholera at 251 and 235.5 per 100,000 population respectively, compared to the national attack rate in affected counties of 31.6 per 100,000,” the situational report says.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria.
The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
Symptoms in infected persons in the early stages include profuse watery diarrhoea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, loss of skin elasticity, dry mucous membranes, low blood pressure, thirst, muscle cramps and restlessness or irritability.
