Seven hospitalised in suspected cholera outbreak in Lamu
Lamu County executive for health Mohamed Kombo said at least seven people were hospitalized in the county on February 24, 2017 after exhibiting cholera-like symptoms. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The patients complained of stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting.
- Due to the ongoing drought that has hit most parts of Lamu since mid 2016, residents have had to share the scarce water sources with livestock and wild animals, leading to a high rate of contamination.
- Last year, two people from in Kipini, on the border of Lamu and Tana River counties, died from cholera.
Seven people in Lamu have been hospitalised in a suspected outbreak of cholera.
The patients from Pandanguo village in Witu showed cholera-like symptoms.
County executive for Health Mohamed Kombo said the seven were admitted at the Pandanguo Dispensary and Witu Hospital after complaining of stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting.
According to Dr Kombo, the drought ravaging many parts of Lamu County has left people and animals to depend on one water source.
Dr Kombo said the victims might have drunk contaminated water.
He said a team from the health department had been dispatched to monitor the situation.
Dr Kombo said his office is working around the clock to ensure the disease does not spread to other villages.
“We are worried the situation might spread to villages affected by drought, but we are on it," said Dr Kombo.
Those infected include adults and children. Their blood and stool samples have been sent to experts in Mombasa for further examination.
Adan Golja, a village elder, called for immediate intervention to control the outbreak.
Pandanguo village, home to the Boni minority community, is among villages hit hardest by the ongoing drought.
Last year, two people died from cholera, among them a five-year old child and an adult in Kipini, on the border of Lamu and Tana River counties.
Some 13 others were referred to the Witu Dispensary after exhibiting cholera symptoms, which were also suspected to have been caused by contaminated water.
