Cholera outbreak hits Kiambu County

Cholera

The cholera bacteria. Cholera is a highly virulent disease characterised in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea.

Photo credit: Fotosearch

At least five people have been admitted to different hospitals within Kiambu County with Cholera.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi said two of those hospitalised are in critical condition.

“The five are part of 15 people who were rushed to hospital on Saturday after taking a meal at a wedding ceremony in Limuru.

"As a response to the outbreak, we have taken measures to monitor and coordinate response with the aim of bringing the cholera outbreak to an end and protecting our people from the infectious disease,” Governor Wamatangi said.

The food is suspected to have been ferried from Nairobi to the wedding venue by a catering company.

The cases are in Limuru (four) Ruiru (three), Kiambaa (three), Gatanga (two) Kiambu town (one), Juja (one) and one unknown as of October 16th, 2022.

Prior to the incident, the Ministry of Health had last week on Thursday put Nairobi county on high alert over reports of a possible cholera outbreak Kiambu.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

Symptoms in the early stages of infection include profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, loss of skin elasticity, dry mucous membranes, low blood pressure, thirst, muscle cramps and restlessness or irritability.

The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.

The ministry in May announced an outbreak of cholera in Nairobi’s Kamukunji region.