Mandera West hit by cholera outbreak

At least six people are receiving treatment at the Takaba Sub-County Hospital in Mandera West after several cases of cholera were confirmed.
County Chief Officer for Health Rahama Abdullahi said four samples sent to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) laboratories turned positive for cholera.
“Four patients were admitted to Takaba Sub-County Hospital on Friday and samples taken tested positive but the situation is under control,” she said.
Two more patients with cholera-related symptoms were received at the hospital on Thursday.
According to Ms Abdullahi, water sources in Bula Elwak and Dikduro villages in Mandera West are believed to be the cause of the deadly disease.
“We are suspecting water contamination at a borehole in Bula Elwak and a dam in Bula Dikduro as the cause of the problem but our response teams are on the ground already,” she said.
Mandera West public Health Officer Ibrahim Karim, in a public notice dated August 11, declared all eateries closed.
Also closed in the town are miraa kiosks, milk bars and butcheries. Food hawking has also been banned.
“I advise those travelling in and out of Takaba town to take cholera prophylaxis at the nearest healthy facility,” reads the notice signed by Mr Karim.
He warned that legal action will be taken against anybody who will fail to comply with the directives.
The county health chief officer said already, disinfection is underway at all water sources in the county. Ms Abdullahi said the death was due to delayed treatment.
She denied reports that the unclean water was supplied in the two villages by the county government under the water trucking programme as a drought mitigation measure.
For almost two months – between April and June – the Mandera County government battled cholera in parts of Mandera South that claimed one life and left at least 188 others infected.
“We have continued to sensitise our community on symptoms, dangers and the need for proper sanitation measures to curb cholera in Mandera and we are making good progress,” she said.
The worst cholera outbreak to be recorded in Mandera in recent times was in June 2016 which claimed 19 people with another 1,200 people infected.
By Dickson Githaiga