Cholera kills two as 34 prisoners treated in Kisumu

Dr Ojwang Lusi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Kisumu County health chiefs were yesterday on high alert after two people died and 21 were admitted to hospital after an outbreak of cholera.

Kodiaga Maximum Prison inmates were also hospitalised at the weekend with diarrhoea and vomiting, symptoms associated with cholera.

County Health director Ojwang Lusi said medical officials were working to curb further spread.

He said one of the victims was a trader who died on Monday night after he was rushed to  Port Florence Hospital  with cholera symptoms.

Dr Lusi added that tests later confirmed the man was suffering from the deadly  water-borne disease.

“We’ve quarantined the area the deceased was admitted. The body is at Port Florence mortuary,” said the hospital’s administrator, Dr Harrison Ouko.

Dr Lusi said 34 Kodiaga prisoners with cholera symptoms had been admitted to hospital at the weekend.

Regional Prison commander Amos Misik said they alerted public health officers on Sunday over the suspected outbreak of cholera at the prison.

“The Ministry of Health came in and gave medication to the inmates. The 34 prisoners were treated and have been discharged. Currently have suspended transfers of prisoners until we are safe from the cholera epidemic,” he said.

Dr Lusi said health officers had been dispatched to Otonglo to investigate the outbreak of cholera.

However, environmental activists have cited a river near the prison as the cause of cholera outbreak.

Magnam Environmental Network director Micheal Nyangati accused the prison of discharging raw sewerage into River Saka, which is used by community as source of water.

“Over the years we have had cases of cholera outbreak in the area.

“We suspect the river flowing from the prisons could be leading source of the disease,” he said.

But the regional prison commander denied the claims.

In 2009, Kodiaga Maximam Prison recorded an outbreak of cholera that killed 30 inmates in less than a week.

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