A cholera outbreak has been reported in Kirinyaga County threatening to spoil the Christmas festivals.
According to the County Director of Health, Dr. George Karoki, the disease was discovered last week in various parts of Mwea.
In a public notice dated December 20, Karoki cautioned area residents to desist from eating hawked foods sold along the roads as well as drinking unclean water.
He has also stressed on the need for the residents to use latrines, observe hygienic standards and ensure they boil water before drinking.
“We are appealing to any one showing signs or symptoms of this disease to report to the nearest Health facility for testing and management before it is too late,” Karoki said in the notice.
The Deputy Governor, Peter Ndambiri however, downplayed the outbreak maintaining only three cases had been detected within the outlying areas of Mwea and had been managed.
“It’s true there is reported outbreak of cholera in our county. The situation has since been managed. Three cases were positive,” he said.
Speaking at Kimbimbi market during the opening of a drug rehabilitation Centre, Ndambiri blamed the recent heavy rains which raised water table and submerged pit latrines in Mwea.
“You see we have high water tables in Mwea and due to the excessive rains, all the pit latrines were submerged and the water thrashed out the filth which has since caused the outbreak,” he said.
Ndambiri however, declined to comment on the uncontrolled food hawking in the towns and markets in the area which stakeholders in the hospitality industry blame for the outbreak.
“You find a hawker retailing sausages , samosas, chapattis and kachumbali right in front of your eatery in total disregard of all the public health hygiene requirements as the county enforcement department turns a blind eye on the matter,” claimed James Mwai, a hotelier at Kagio town.
Ndambiri said all measures to contain the deadly disease have been put in place while enough drugs are also available in all health outlets in the area.
By Irungu Mwangi
