Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – According to the latest findings of the Ministry of Health in Kenya, there are now 15 districts severely affected by cholera in the country, with 663 confirmed cases since January, and some 15 dead. The areas most seriously affected are those coastal provinces in the eastern area and the Rift Valley. The district of Kajiado, in Rift Valley, registers 177 cases. In 2009, following an outbreak caused by drought, by water polluted riverbeds and poor hygiene, there have been 781 infections and 274 deaths confirmed. Also in this period, registered deaths and infections have increased in remote areas of the country, in the northwestern district of Turkana Central, in Mugur, an island difficult to access because of the crocodiles that infest Lake Turkana. The main risk factors in Mugur are the polluted lake water and the lack of health facilities. The nearest medical facility is approximately 50km away. In early March, there were about 127 cases in the eastern district of Tharaka. At the Makutano police station, a provisional medical field to assist the sick has been set up. Other affected areas include the villages of Ura Gate, Mauthuni, Gakauni, and Gatithini. The government is conducting a health education campaign with epidemiologists, health officers, and nutritionists for research and infection control. Humanitarian organizations were alerted, also due to the seasonal rains in recent months, to reach these places as the risk of infection will increase. The Kenyan Red Cross, assisted by UN agencies for health education and distribution of drugs, is distributing water disinfectants in areas affected by flooding, where water systems were damaged. The Nairobi Water and Sewage Company has distributed water tanks in the suburbs, for the transportation of drinking water to 153,000 residents. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 23/3/2010)
