Cholera alert in Marsabit after three suspected cases are reported

Health authorities in Marsabit have issued a cholera outbreak alert after three residents fell ill and were diagnosed with symptoms of the disease.

Public Health Officer Rob Golicha revealed that three women were hospitalised at Marsabit Referral Hospital with acute dysentery after attending a funeral in Isiolo for three days last week.

“We are cautioning all residents of this county to uphold very high standards of personal and environmental hygiene following the cholera infection cases detected among three residents who came from a funeral in Isiolo,” Mr Golicha said.

The three patients have been temporarily isolated in a separate ward as a precaution against further transmissions.

Preliminary tests indicated the trio were suffering from cholera. But samples were sent to a government lab in Nairobi for more tests.

The county undertook intensive contact tracing in residential areas last weekend, leading to the mass screening of 64 people, who received preventive treatment.

At least 29 children, 24 men and 11 women interacted with the patients upon their return from Isiolo County.

Preliminary tests showed that none of the patients’ contacts had exhibited any signs of infection.

Mr Golicha said measures were in place to prevent an outbreak.

Public health personnel and community workers were dispatched to conduct an awareness campaign about sanitation and hygiene among Marsabit town residents.

Consequently, public health officers have embarked on an intensive inspection of all the social joints and eateries in Marsabit town to ensure that they meet hygiene standards.

Six persons have been apprehended after they were found operating eateries without the approval of the public health department and failing to uphold high personal and environmental hygiene standards.

Mr Golicha said it was noteworthy that the short-rain season, which came after a prolonged drought, could worsen the outbreak and urged residents to be on high alert for possible cholera cases.

Public health officers were also planning an ambitious immunisation programme focusing on vulnerable populations.

In April 2020, Marsabit was hit by a cholera outbreak when seven residents succumbed to the disease and 134 others were treated and discharged in Illeret ward, North Horr constituency.

In Isiolo, five cases of cholera have been reported in the last three weeks, said County Director of Public Health Kikuyu Sarite.

The Isiolo government has responded by banning food hawking to help curb the spread of cholera.