Seven killed, 80 hospitalized in suspected cholera outbreak in Kenya

A suspected cholera outbreak in Western Kenya has left at least seven people dead and 80 in critical condition, a medical official confirmed Tuesday.

Migori County Health Director Joseph Gondi said three victims died at a sub-district hospital and four others died at home while waiting to be taken to hospital.

The medical official said the disease is likely to be cholera, and the samples have been taken for tests.

"We have taken vomit and faecal matter to the Kenya Medical Research Institute laboratory for confirmation before we pronounce it a cholera outbreak," Gondi told journalists in Migori.

He said similar cases have been received from different regions in the county, and health workers have been mobilized to help contain the situation which was detected in the past 24 hours.

"Health workers have moved to villages where there is no access to hospitals," he said.

Gondi called on health officials in the county to be on high alert because some deaths occurred along the border.

He also urged schools and other institutions to prevent from possible cholera-related disasters.

"The residents should drink clean water and ensure food they eat is not contaminated," he said.

Health experts warned that the infection is likely to continue spreading due to lack of safe drinking water in the area.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera. Generally the cholera bacteria spreads in places with poor hygiene, where people do not use latrines to dispose off excreta, or do not wash their hands with soap or ash after defecation. Endi