Eight people admitted to Nairobi hospital over cholera

By ANGELA OKETCH

NAIROBI , 17 April. - (ANA)  - Eight people have been admitted at The Nairobi Hospital in the Kenyan capital over cholera.

The eight employees work in the hospital's catering department and offer services at the staff canteen.

"We have had several cases admitted in our hospital. Unfortunately we had eight staff affected. There is no outbreak in The Nairobi Hospital,'' the hospital said in a statement on Tuesday.

However, one staffer is reported to have died Tuesday morning after what his colleagues said was "a short illness."

Sources at the hospital on Tuesday told the Nation that at least 23 cases of the water-borne disease, eight involving staff, had been treated at the facility in April alone.

The hospital’s cafeteria has been closed indefinitely as the management battles to contain the spread of the outbreak.

A source privy to the information and who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media said they have been treating cholera cases on a daily basis.

“The hospital has been handling cholera cases day in day out but now there is an outbreak and the staff are affected. We are treating it seriously. The investigation is on,” said the source.

He confirmed to the Nation that late last month, teachers from nearby Riara group of schools were admitted to the hospital with symptoms of the disease.

Three children from were also suspected to have cholera.


High alert


Nairobi County health officials later directed referral hospitals within the city to reactivate their cholera treatment units following confirmation of the outbreak in the city.

In a letter dated March 21 and addressed to all county medical superintendents, Nairobi County Director of Health Lucina Koyio said that all sub counties in the capital were on a high alert.

“The county is experiencing a wave of cholera outbreak which was confirmed on March 20. In this regard, I am requesting all referral hospitals to reactivate their cholera treatment units to prevent the spread of the disease,” said Dr Koyio.

“All sub-counties should be on high alert and treat all suspected cases of cholera as cholera cases. Please also reactivate your sub county response teams,” said Dr Koyio.

In 2017, the city county faced a major cholera outbreak prompting the county government to call for closure of roadside food eateries and banning of food hawking.  - (ANA) -

AB/ANA/17 April 2019 - - -