An outbreak of cholera has been reported in Dadaab refugee camps, Garissa County, days after a warning of a possible disease outbreak following heavy rains that resulted to flooding.
Garissa County Director of health services Siyat Moge told KNA that a total of 87 confirmed cases in all the three camps Ifo, Hagadera and Daghaley refugee camp as at Thursday last week.
The camps are home to over 350,000 refugee camps majority from neighbouring Somalia.
Siyat said that the camps have cholera control centres and medics are working round the clock to contain the spread of deadly disease. He said the host communities are not affected.
“We have launched a campaign to educate the community on how to handle cholera cases and how to avoid contracting the high contagious disease,” Siyat said as quoted by KNA.
“The community should among other things drink boiled or treated water, use toilets/latrines, wash their hands after visiting the toilets and maintain high standards of hygiene. This is the only way to avoid contracting the disease,” he added.
He urged residents to report cases of sudden diarrhea, dehydration noting that other symptoms of the disease include nausea and vomiting which may persist for hours and general body weakness.
Nairobi, Vihiga counties and neighbouring Tana River have been put on red alert following the outbreak of the disease.