Cabinet Secretary for Health Cleopa Mailu says the team will carry out a comprehensive probe to establish the real magnitude of the outbreak, its cause and the possible risk factors/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 12 – The Government has dispatched disease control experts to Nakuru County after 39 children died of Influenza after developing medication resistance.
Cabinet Secretary for Health Cleopa Mailu says the team will carry out a comprehensive probe to establish the real magnitude of the outbreak, its cause and the possible risk factors.
According to the CS, “blood samples and nasopharyngeal samples have been taken and sent to the CDC National Influenza Sentinel Laboratory in Nairobi for further testing to determine the cause.”
The disease, mainly affecting children below five years is characterised by cough, fever that does not respond to medication followed by convulsions, coma and eventually death.
The government has also heightened surveillance for acute respiratory illnesses, especially those affecting children in the county.
“We have disseminated a case definition to all county health care workers to enhance prompt case detection,” he said through a statement.
The CS has urged the public to immediately take children presenting such symptoms to the hospital as well as observe hygiene practices like hand washing among other precautionary measures.
He is also asking Kenyans to “cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.”
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