Cholera outbreak in two sub counties in Baringo county

Cholera outbreak has been witnessed in Marigat and Mogotio sub counties of Baringo county for the past four months.

Speaking to KNA yesterday at their office, health promotion officer in Baringo county Leah Cherutich confimed that it has been a great challenge to eradicate the outbreak in the two sub counties.

"The last patient in Marigat was discharged last Sunday while nine cases have been reported in Mogotio since then", Cherutich testified.

Cherutich added that 142 cases have been reported in the county since May this year and that all the ages from 0-99 have been affected.

However, most patients who recorded the highest percentage of 30-31% were ranging from 20 to 39 years, Cherutich said.

Cherutich cautioned that the discharged patients in Marigat is not a guarantee that the outbreak is over until fourteen days elapse.

"We have noted that most residents in the affected areas don't use pit latrines thus polluting the nearby rivers", Cherutich said.

Cherutich explained that residents in Mogotio depend on water from polluted river Molo for there consumption and has contributed to the spread of the disease.

Health officers are already in the affected areas to sensitise residents on the need to boil drinking water and practice hygiene to avert the epidemic, Cherutich attested.

Furthermore, Cherutich confirmed that the officers undertake contact tracing where they give out prophylaxis a preventive antibiotic to minimize the bacterial infection.

"We advice people to visit the hospital immediately once they notice any signs of cholera infections as loss of body fluids might lead to immature deaths", Cherutich cautioned.

Cherutich is now calling for a collective responsibility from all the citizens in the county in order to avert the outbreak which has hitted the county for the second round this year.