New wave of cholera cases hits Turkana West

In Summary

• It was discovered that most of the patients had taken untreated water from nearby Adak wells after their main source of water broke down four days ago.
• Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok said that all the cases have been contained and no deaths have been recorded.

A new wave of cholera infections has hit seven villages in Turkana West Sub-county as a result of contaminated water, leading to 16 cases being reported this month.

Of the 16, 6 are children aged between 6-11 years and 4 others aged between 1 and 5 years.

According to the May situation report approved by Sub-county Medical Officer of Health Dr Dominic Ongaki, six confirmed positive cases were treated and discharged from cholera treatment centres at Kakuma Mission Hospital and the International Rescue Committee Hospital.

10 cases that are still being treated are in stable condition.

The first two positive were reported on May 6 from Nayemeyen and Kabokorit villages after presenting acute profuse watery diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms.

Nine more cases from IDP and Legion villages were reported on May 23. Four of the the patients were relatives.

It was discovered that most of the patients had taken untreated water from nearby Adak wells after their main source of water broke down four days ago.

Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok said that all the cases have been contained and no deaths recorded.

"We on Monday deployed additional health care workers to the Sub-county to boost surveillance and trace 50 immediate contacts. The contacts will be given prophylaxis to control spread of the deadly disease," he said.

Active search for possible cholera cases in the community and health facilities has also been enhanced.

The affected villages have received chlorine for spraying surfaces where the patients vomited and aquatabs to purify water before drinking.

Reliable water sources were being treated by health officials with water-stressed IDP village already supplied with 15,000 litres of clean water.

Governor Nanok said that the county didn't record any cholera cases in March and April.

He said that the February cholera situation report that Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe relied on to announce recently that the county had 222 confirmed cases had already been contained.

The February cases were reported at Longech Island, Kalokol and Namukuse villages along the shores of Lake Turkana.