4 people succumb to cholera in Siaya as cases hit 118

The County Government of Siaya is on high alert over an outbreak of cholera.

So far, four people have succumbed to the virulent disease with the number of cases rising fast. The deceased persons include three children between the age of three and 15 years.

The county government has restocked its facilities with equipment and drug to fight the disease.

Governor James Orengo said though the Commodities are available the only way to tame the spread of cholera is by observing hygiene.

The case fatality rate stands at 0.73 per cent with 118 cases having been confirmed since April.

The cholera outbreak has affected three of the six sub-counties in Siaya.

Rarieda Sub-county has the highest number at 72 cases, Bondo (44) and Ugenya (2).

Speaking while unveiling three new ambulances in Siaya, Orengo said they have adopted a multi-sectoral approach to tame the spread of the disease and so far the advocacy, communication and social mobilization activities have been activated through public health departments at all levels as well as through National Government Administration officers (NGAO) led by the County Commissioner.

Siaya is among ten counties listed to have active cases of cholera. Others are Homa Bay, Nairobi, Garissa, Mombasa, Kiambu, Kajiado, Isiolo Wajir and Marsabit.

Since 2015 1,011 cholera cases have been recorded in Siaya with the number of fatalities standing at 41.

An outbreak of cholera in Kenya was reported in October last year in Kiambu County. However, seven months later, the disease is yet to be controlled, despite oral cholera vaccination in epicentre counties.

Orengo at the same time pleaded with locals to continue exercising high level of hygiene in order to stop the spread of cholera.

He urged members of the public to stop ignoring the guidelines that have been put in place by the ministry.

“Our people must join the fight against cholera by observing hygiene and would like that message to spread at Sifu, Oyamo and Ndeda Islands," the county boss said.

Orengo, who was flanked by Health Executive Martin Konyango, Health Chief Officer Samwel Omondi and Public Health Director Ken Orwenjo, further asked local chiefs to work closely with community health volunteers to hold sensitization meetings in their respective areas.

“I have asked chiefs and their assistants to move door to door to sensitize residents on hygiene with the help of local elders,” he said.

Deputy County Commissioner Robert Ngetich cited a lack of latrines, water shortage and poor hygiene as the biggest contributors to the spread of the disease.

He further instructed public officers to work closely with the health department to ensure that the disease is contained.

In a March report, the Ministry of Health attributed cholera deaths and a surge in cases to inadequate resources to facilitate testing of the disease.

Shortage of laboratory reagents also hamper the fight against cholera, according to the ministry.

“Inadequate resources to facilitate critical response pillars limiting response capacity in detecting, investigating, and follow-up of cases, especially lack of laboratory re-agents,” the report read.

Other challenges included inadequate capacity of healthcare workers trained in cholera case management and competing activities.

Cholera is an acute bacterial disease as a result of consuming food which is contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholera.