Locals receive water treatment drugs amid cholera outbreak
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru addresses the county assembly in Kerugoya on September 20, 2017. The county has confirmed cases of cholera. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The victims are undergoing treatment at Kerugoya, Kimbimbi and Sagana hospitals.
- Dr Gachoki said residents from the affected villages have been drinking contaminated water from the local rivers.
Kirinyaga County government has distributed 150,000 chlorine water treatment drugs to residents following an outbreak of cholera.
Dr Agnes Gachoki, the Public Health executive, said the aqua tablets have been given out to residents of Kwavii, South Ngariama, Kiandegwa and Rukanga villages, where the disease has been reported.
The drugs are usually dissolved in water to kill the bacteria that causes the disease.
HYGIENE
Already 10 cases of the disease have been confirmed and the victims are undergoing treatment at Kerugoya, Kimbimbi and Sagana hospitals.
Dr Gachoki said residents from the affected villages have been drinking contaminated water from the local rivers.
"When residents use contaminated water from local rivers they get sick and that is why we have assisted them with the drugs," she said.
AWARENESS
Dr Gachoki said cholera is a dangerous disease and the government is working to manage it.
"Public health officers have been dispatched to the villages and are educating residents on how to observe hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease," she said.
Dr Gachoki also said the government has enough medicines to treat patients, thus there is no cause for alarm.
