Two die, 32 in hospital in Murang'a diarrhoea outbreak

Patients at Thika Level Five Hospital in December 2016. Two people have died and 32 others are admitted at the hospital following a diarrhoea outbreak at Kiunyu in Murang’a County. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

What you need to know:

  • Murang’a County acting Chief Officer for Health and Sanitation, Kanyi Gitau, said preliminary tests had pointed to food poisoning.
  • But two residents disputed this claim, saying they suspect the cause is water from River Gathwariga.

Two people have died and 32 others are admitted at Thika Level Five Hospital following a diarrhoea outbreak at Kiunyu in Murang’a County.

On Sunday afternoon, the 32 patients, including five children, were admitted in isolation wards at the hospital.

TREATMENT

Murang’a County acting Chief Officer for Health and Sanitation, Kanyi Gitau, said the patients were brought in suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting.

He said preliminary tests had pointed to food poisoning.

Dr Gitau said the first batch of patients was brought in two weeks ago with similar symptoms and the two died before receiving treatment.

The situation escalated on Sunday morning when more than 15 more patients were admitted at the hospital.

SCREENING

Speaking to journalists at the hospital, Dr Gitau said the county government has set up a screening centre.

“Although we are liaising with doctors at Thika Level Five Hospital, we have set up a screening centre at Kiunyu Village to prevent more referrals. This is to prevent any further deaths before patients reach hospital,” he said.

Dr Gitau urged locals to wash their hands after using the toilet, boil water before drinking and observe hygiene when cooking.

But patients who spoke to the Nation discounted the report that the outbreak was a result of food poisoning, saying they had not shared food.

WATER

Mr Ndung’u Mwangi, whose relatives, were admitted at the facility, said they suspect that the outbreak has been caused by the nearby river where they fetch water for domestic use.

“My father, mother and my brother’s and sister’s children as well as neighbours are all sick. They draw their water from River Gathwariga. We believe that’s where the problem is,” Mr Mwangi said.

He said water pipes in the area were destroyed two weeks ago, forcing them to rely on River Gathwariga for drinking water.

Mr Joseph Mwangi, a patient, said he started experiencing vomiting, diarrhoea and general body weakness before he was taken to the hospital.

He said he has only eaten food in his home.

“I think the water we are drinking from River Gathwariga is the cause of the outbreak. We urge the county government to take water from the river to a laboratory for testing,” he said while in his hospital bed.