Cholera outbreak at Nyang’ori Boys high school in Vihiga County has caused panic among parents and residents as 98 students are reported to have contracted the disease.
County health director Quido Ahinduka said the first group of 24 students were experiencing symptoms of the disease, which included vomiting and diarrhea while in school, before the symptoms subsequently spread to the rest.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday at his office in Mbale town, he said five students were rushed to Tigoi health centre, one to Vihiga Referral Hospital and 92 were being treated at the school.
“The first group was rushed to the health centers after showing signs of having contracted the disease, where it was confirmed by the doctors,” said Ahinduka.
He added that the students are being treated in one of the dormitories which have been converted into an isolation centre.
Ahinduka said the cause of the outbreak might be from contaminated water being supplied to the school by vendors due to shortage of water at the school.
“We also suspect that one of the students who came from half term recently might have been infected while at home, and afterwards he spread it to the rest,” said Ahinduka.
He commended the school as a whole, which has a population of 1300 students, for containing the outbreak and said health officials had been dispatched in order to keep the situation under control.
“We are controlling the situation and involving the community in order to prevent the spread of the disease by sensitizing them on the need for safe drinking water and maintaining proper hygiene,” said Ahinduka.
Efforts by journalists to enter the school compound to get views from the school administration and see the affected students were futile as the watchmen locked the gates.