The Mombasa County government has raised an alarm about the Rotavirus outbreak in various parts of the county, the Kisauni sub-county being the most affected.
Speaking to the media, Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Nasir said the number of infections has increased with reported cases of extreme diarrhea and vomiting mostly by infants.
According to Nasir, out of 75 samples collected by medics at the coast general hospital and tested at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) three patients tested positive for the virus.
Nassir noted that a cautionary measure has been taken to hire 54 more medical staff at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital to handle the influx of patients.
He also added that the Community Health Volunteers (CHV) will help in the first aid treatment of this disease noting that they will be under the County Government’s stipend until the end of the financial year (June).
“In collaboration with the Water Department we shall install chlorination ports in the county to treat all water sources to ensure the residents have access to clean water and also regularize all Early Childhood Education (ECD) and the daycares for children under the age of 2 years by providing hand washing stations while sensitizing on the practice of proper hand hygiene,” Nassir said.
Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea.
According to a Mayo Clinic article, good hygiene, such as washing your hands regularly, is important. But vaccination is the best way to prevent rotavirus infection.
The symptoms start within two days of exposure to the virus. Early symptoms are a fever and vomiting, followed by three to seven days of watery diarrhea. The infection can cause abdominal pain as well.
In healthy adults, a rotavirus infection may cause only mild signs and symptoms or none at all.