Four dead, 34 hospitalised as cholera spreads in Narok county

At least four people have died and 34 hospitalised following cholera outbreak in Narok.

Local authorities are on high alert as the disease has reportedly spread in Kilgoris Central, Shankoe, and Lolgorian in Trans Mara West.

The county government has banned food hawking and ordered the closure of hotels and entertainment venues in high-risk areas.

Health officials reported that the first two cases were detected in late September, involving a resident from Migingo Island in Kisumu and a second patient from a private school in Trans Mara West.

“A suspected cholera outbreak has been reported in Trans Mara West Sub-county, Narok County, with a total of 34 suspected cases identified between September 23 and October 2,” said Lucy Kashu, the Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health Services in Narok County.

The outbreak was officially confirmed on October 3, after stool samples sent to Walter Reed Laboratory in Kericho tested positive.

As of October 4, the number of reported cases stood at 31, with six confirmed through PCR, three via rapid diagnostic tests, and the remaining identified through contact tracing.

The rapid increase in infections has alarmed health officials

Among the four confirmed fatalities, three occurred on September 30, and the fourth, a child, died on October 2.

Earlier cases, dating back to September 23, which were initially overlooked in the official line list, have now been linked to case number five, indicating a wider and earlier spread than previously recognised.

The outbreak is concentrated in Trans Mara West, particularly in Kilgoris Central, Shankoe, and Lolgorian wards.