Cholera Hits Migori Town As 3 Out Of 8 Samples Turn Positive

• Public health officials from Migori county indicated that three out of eight people suspected to have contracted cholera tested positive for the bacterial infection
• They urged the public to be on high alert and report to the nearest health facility whenever they manifested diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms
• The county administration has also banned vending of food along the roads and schools until the situation is assessed and disease contained

Residents of Migori Town have been urged to be extra cautious after cholera, a waterborne disease, was detected in a number of patients in the urban centre.

Migori cholera scare

According to Julius Awuor Nyerere, Migori County Executive Committee (CEC) member in charge of health, three out of the eight suspected samples taken to the laboratory turned out positive.

“We conducted tests on individuals that portrayed symptoms related to the disease. Three out of eight samples we tested came back positive. The patients are in stable condition and are being attended to in isolation wards,” Awuor told TUKO.co.ke.

Awuor called on the residents to be on high alert and urgently report to health facilities whenever they manifested diarrhoea and vomiting.

He observed that timely reporting and observing high hygiene standards would help contain the disease from spreading widely across the county.

Migori bans roadside food vending

The county has also temporarily banned the roadside selling of food as part of containment measures as public health experts assess the situation.

"Those who are infected are isolated in the hospital, and we are also doing contact tracing. I am calling the general public to maintain hygiene and clean their hands properly before eating anything.

We have also directed that street food vendors to close shop until the situation is assessed and managed,” he said.

Education CEC Betty Samburu also urged school head teachers to bar food vendors from selling their products within and outside school premises until they get clearance from relevant authorities.

"We call on school head teachers and principals to ensure their institutions have access to clean water and observe high food hygiene standards,” she said.

Signs and symptoms of cholera

However, the county administration assured the locals that there was sufficient medicine to treat the disease in case they test positive and urged them not to hesitate going to health facilities whenever they felt unwell.

The signs and symptoms for the disease include, but are not limited to, diarrhoea, dehydration and vomiting.

“We advise the residents to wash their hands with soap frequently, ensure they drink clean water and well-cooked meals to reduce chances of infection,” Awuor added.

Cholera which can quickly be fatal is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria.