The Ministry of Health announced a polio outbreak in Garissa County and identified possible risks for Nairobi as well.
The disease was reportedly “introduced from a neighboring country.”
Chief Health Secretary Mary Muriuki said in a statement yesterday that 14 cases of poliovirus have been detected in stool samples from children in refugee camps in Garissa County.
The same virus was also detected in environmental samples from sewage in Garissa and Nairobi counties.
“This confirmation confirms that the country continues to face a significant threat from polio disease. Polio is a serious and deadly disease with no cure. However, it can be prevented through vaccination. can be eradicated,” the statement reads. “The current polio epidemic is caused by imports from neighboring countries and suboptimal routine immunization coverage in some counties, putting all children at risk of polio disease. ”
Following this discovery, the ministry began the third round of vaccinations, also targeting Mandera and Wajir counties. The campaign started on January 27th and ends on January 31st.
“The vaccination campaign has targeted 755,011 children under the age of 5 in Fafi and Dadaab counties and all refugee camps in Garissa, as well as 238,447 children between the ages of 5 and 15,” the PS said. Stated.
“Parents and members of the public are asked to report to the nearest health facility if their child under the age of 15 shows sudden weakness in their hands, feet, or both. Reports can be made via hotline 0729471414 or 0732353535 The Ministry also reassures the public that all vaccines used in the country, including the polio vaccine, are safe and effective and provide additional protection through multiple rounds. There is.
As the vaccination rollout progresses, the ministry called on Kenyan parents to get their children vaccinated.
The public is cautioned to use toilets to dispose of human waste and to observe good hand hygiene to prevent transmission of poliovirus by the fecal-oral route.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, polio is a debilitating and potentially fatal disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus is transmitted through person-to-person contact and can invade the spinal cord, causing paralysis (the inability to move certain parts of the body).
Symptoms include sore throat, fever, fatigue, nausea, headache, and abdominal pain. A small percentage of people infected with poliovirus may develop more severe symptoms that affect the brain and spinal cord.
“Meningitis (infection of the spinal cord and/or brain coverings) occurs in about 1 to 5 in 100 people infected with poliovirus, depending on the type of virus. “Depending on the disease, paralysis or weakness of the arms, legs, or both occurs in about 1 in 200 to 1 in 2,000 people,” the center said.
“Paralysis is the most serious symptom associated with poliovirus, as it can lead to permanent disability or death. Two to 10 out of every 100 people who become paralyzed due to poliovirus infection die. This is because the virus affects the muscles that help you breathe.”
