The Ministry of health has dispatched a team of six doctors to work closely with doctors from the US Center for Disease Prevention and Control to investigate the influenza outbreak that has so far claimed lives of 39 children at the Provincial General Hospital in Nakuru.
"Two samples taken for investigations to Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) had turned positive for influenza A and B," said Dr. Philip Muthoka who is leading the team from Disease Surveillance and Response.
He added that further investigations involving different laboratories was ongoing to ensure right results are obtained.
Briefing the press at the PGH, Dr. Muthoka confirmed that the government did not have drugs in store for treatment of the type of the influenza but said the PGH hospital had this morning procured 50 doses from a private company in Nairobi and treatment for those in isolation at hospital had commenced. He said more drugs are expected this week.
Dr. Muthoka said the influenza which is highly infectious and which has a tendency to mutate, is not a new phenomenon in Kenya and has been affecting elderly and vulnerable groups such as HIV and AIDs infected as severe pneumonia , adding that the disease this time round had affected children between six months and five years.
Dr. Muthoka further said the ministry of health in collaboration with the County government of Nakuru have set up surveillance systems in the whole of the County to promptly detect and respond to new cases of the outbreak to help contain the influenza spread.
County Executive in charge of health Dr. Mungai Kabii said that so far 282 cases of infected children have been reported in the County with symptoms including high fever, coughs, difficulties in breathing, diarrhea and vomiting.
Dr. Kabii further said that medical personnel have set up isolation wards in all the hospitals in the county to handle any further cases of the disease after about 39 cases were admitted at the Provincial General Hospital (PGH) in Nakuru early last week.
Kabii added that the county government jointly with the national government had organized for massive vaccination exercise for children between six months and five years adding that all health workers had been sensitized.