The county government of Wajir is on high alert following the outbreak of cholera.
One person died on Saturday in Wajir East constituency while several others are admitted at the county referral hospital.
County health executive Abdihakim Billow says the most affected is wajir town.
“We currently have a total of 23 patients who are admitted at the county referral hospital. they are currently being treated and their conditions are improving by the day,” he said.
According to Billow, initial tests carried out on the admitted patients indicated they had cholera.
However, he said the Department of health had sent samples to the national public health laboratory in Nairobi for further testing and confirmation.
“As at now, the health team is dealing with a suspected cholera outbreak and has activated a cholera response team and alerted all stakeholders” said the CEC last week.
He said treatment centres have been set up where suspected cholera patients will be received and treated.
Meanwhile, the department advised the public to take precautions and report suspected cases to the hospital.
He said Wajir East sub-county public health department had closed food kiosks immediately.
“In a addition, the department orders closure of all shanties and temporary structures preparing and displaying food for sale under insanitary conditions contrary to food drugs and chemical substances Act,” the department said in a statement.
“The department has also ordered ban on food vending and hawking. The county commissioner and the OCPD Wajir are requested to assist in the enforcement and compliance of this order.”
Residents who spoke to the Star welcomed the measures taken to stop the spread of the highly contagious disease.
“We don’t want to lose lives like we did last year when the disease hit the town and spread to other sub-counties. let them do everything humanly possible to ensure that it is contained,” said Mariam Haasan, a food vendor in Wajir town.
Ironically, the disease hit the town again sometime last year in May, just two weeks before the Muslims celebrated the Idd.
