Cholera epidemic in Tana River as 78 people test positive

Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days.

78 people in Madogo, Tana River County admitted at an area health centre after testing positive to cholera.

Addressing the press on Friday after visiting an isolation centre where a majority of women and children patients are admitted, area CEC for Health Mwanajuma Hiribae said test conducted on the victims’ culture samples in Hola (county headquarters) tested positive for cholera.

Hiribae however assured residents that the county government has come up with intervention measures in partnership with other agencies as it emerged that lack of clean and safe drinking water was the major cause of the outbreak.

She said following the recent floods, water supply to Madogo was affected after the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) disconnected power.

Residents who cannot afford to buy clean and safe water from water vendors were forced to dig shallow wells from dry river beds which wild animals drink from them during the night.

“According to our assessments, settlements that get water from these shallow wells are the worst hit. We have addressed the situation and KPLC restored power yesterday to the water intakes and as we talk water supply to the town has resumed,” she said.

“We have a watertruck on standby that will supply water to settlements that cannot access safer drinking water. We shall also send a team of health workers to these areas to educate the public on the need to maintain high standards of hygiene,” she added.

The CEC said a team of health workers have been monitoring the outbreak of the disease and they have established that eateries and other open air food vendors were not the cause of the outbreak.

“We don’t intend to close food eateries among other joints for the moment but we are closely monitoring the situation and will act appropriately if need arises,” she noted.

“We are experiencing this problem in the whole of Madogo but the worst hit areas include Bulla Vango, Bulla Kodha, Bulla Karatasi and settlements near Madogo secondary school,” Hiribare said.

Residents have been urged to wash hands after visiting the toilet, boil drinking water, wash fruits before eating them among other measures.

This is the second time this year that cholera has hit Madogo.

Residents who spoke to the Press however accused the county government of being slow in responding to the outbreak.