Kakamega Health officials step up measures to manage disease outbreak

Kakamega, Saturday, April 15, 2023

K.N.A By Moses Wekesa

Kakamega County Government has rolled out inspections of all schools and learning institutions in a programme to ensure compliance with Public Health standards.

Governor Fernandes Barasa said 24 secondary schools have already been inspected as the county also intensifies personal and water hygiene sanitation education across all learning institutions.

He also said that county public health officials have intensified food quality controls in all food outlets and eateries within the county to avert any possible spread of the disease that was first reported at the Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School.

Governor Barasa was speaking to the Media at the Kakamega General Hospital while giving updates on the management of the disease outbreak at Mukumu Girls High school that led to temporary closure of the school and has so far claimed 4 lives including 3 students and one teacher.

He urged parents and county residents to be calm and not to panic about the situation, but to ensure that they take their children to hospitals immediately, if they present symptoms related to the disease and any other disease symptoms.

Barasa said the county government is working closely with the Ministry of Health to treat all students who fell ill through prompt treatment, observation and referrals as he says the condition of most of those under treatment is improving. 

The Governor disclosed that 350 cases were reported by the county surveillance team from the school as having symptoms of acute fever, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pains.

“Out of the 350 listed cases, 287 have been managed as outpatient while 63 were managed as inpatient at different sites in different facilities,” he pointed out.

Apart from Kakamega General Hospital, Governor Barasa said students who fell ill are undergoing medical treatment in various hospitals across 7 counties of Nairobi, Trans Nzoia, Kisii, Bungoma, Uasin Gishu, Bomet, and Vihiga.

He noted that preliminary investigations by both the county and national government reveal that the disease could have been caused by a bacterial infection due to contamination of food and water directing the school administration to destroy all foodstuff and clean and chlorinate all water facilities.

Courtesy K.N.A