Saturday, September 29, 2012
BY STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Thirty five people have been confirmed dead following a cholera outbreak on the Kenyan-Somali border. Among the dead are 10 Kenyans who had moved with their animals across Somalia in search of water and pasture.
According to the Kenya Red Cross, the epidemic broke out in Hosingo in Somali on September 20, 50 km from the Kenyan border, before spreading to other border villages. Two people died in Holungo, two in Amuma, three in Hamey and three in Dgahaley.
Daniel Langat, the North Eastern Kenya Red Cross regional health officer who spoke the Press in Amey said the victims had all the signs of cholera that included vomiting and diarrhoearing and severe abdominal pains.
“Majority of them died in the bus where they could not get any help," said Langat. The community's pastoral lifestyle has made matters worse, the pastoralists are always on the move." He said Red Cross had set up centres at Amey, Amuma, Damajaley and Hamey to quarantine the people.
Wario Ali a Kenya Red Cross clinical officer-in-charge of the Amuma camp said10 of the people who had been brought to the centre were recovering well after treatment.