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Kenya steps up efforts to curb cholera, chikungunya outbreaks

Xinhua, June 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya's health ministry said Tuesday it has sent 15 experts in disease control and increased the number of treatment centers to tackle cholera and chikungunya outbreaks in northeastern Mandera county.

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu said more specialists will be deployed to the area to offer support and effectively test samples on the ground.

"This will quicken the treatment of cases and limit the specimen transfer to Nairobi for analysis," Mailu said in a statement released in Nairobi.

He made an assessment visit to the region last Friday, with county leaders and development partners.

"The county has also scaled up hygiene and sanitation measures to control and prevent the spread of cholera outbreak while water surveillance and treatment have been instituted through testing and chlorination of drinking water sources and point of use," he said.

Mailu said the national coordination committee shall be holding weekly meetings to monitor and review the outbreaks for further strengthening of interventions.

A total of 1,213 cholera cases have been reported since April 12 while 777 Chikungunya cases have been recorded since May. Most cases have occurred in Mandera.

The cholera outbreak has so far claimed 18 lives.

However, there has been a decline in the number of admission due to intensified interventions by the ministry, Mailu said, adding currently 92 patients were hospitalized.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected Aedes species mosquitoes. Symptoms of the disease include fever and joint pains. It can also cause headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or rash.

The health ministry has distributed over 5,000 insecticide treated mosquito nets and 500 liters of chemicals for indoor spraying, to contain the transmission of chikungunya.

"We have engaged the community health volunteers to conduct door to door visits to identify and spray the mosquitoes' breeding sites," Mailu said. Endit