Cholera kills 8 inmates in Kenya

[yielddude]

Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya
BY CATHERINE KARONG'O and MICHAEL KARANJA
Update 13 hours and 43 minutes ago

(yield-several stories have this as suspected cholera, this one says tests were negative)

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 22 - Mystery surrounds the death of eight inmates at the Kamiti Maximum prison after cholera tests turned negative.

The Ministry of Public Health said on Sunday that sample results taken from sick inmates had tested negative to cholera and now a second test was being carried out with results expected on Monday.

"Our first samples did not show cholera so it may be any other bacteria. We are now trying to make sure that we treat this as an acute diarrhoea and take all the measures to ensure that we contain the outbreak here," said Director of Public Health Dr Shahnaaz Sharif.

Dr Sharif said food samples had also been taken to establish the illness that had left 21 inmates hospitalised and another 61 isolated after presenting the same symptoms of severe diarrhoea and vomiting.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with a bacterium known as Vibrio Cholerae.

But the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company has ruled out contamination of water as a possible cause of the outbreak.

"The most common thing is to check whether the water has bacteria and we have found it has no bacteria. We then take samples to the laboratory where we check whether there are some biological organisms in the water and so far none has been found both from both sources," said the company's Chief Executive Officer Francis Mugo.

The Kamiti Maximum Prison, the largest correction facility in Kenya, gets its water from the Nairobi Water Company and a borehole.

Among the measures taken by the Ministry of Public Health to prevent further spread of the mystery disease was to restrict prison transfers from the prison with immediate effect.

"And even within the prison itself we want to confine prisoners where they are so that there is no cross contamination from one cell to the other cells," Dr Sharif said.

"We want to make sure that we minimise contacts between several cells so that we can isolate the cells that have inmates who show any symptoms," he added.

Commissioner of Prisons Isiah Osugo said more suspected cases had come up since the first case on Saturday and were receiving the required attention.

"We have formed some working committees and we don't wish to lose any of the cases now. I cannot say whether the situation is very bad or good because like the last case we lost somebody who was happy and we were talking and when he was given some meal and he went to the rest houses he passed on," he said.

Meanwhile relatives of inmates accused the prison authorities of keeping them in the dark over the outbreak.

Those interviewed by Capital News outside the prison said they had not been allowed to visit their relatives and were worried because they did not know whether their kin were among the victims.

"They have refused to even print out the names and place them at the gate to show who is sick," complained one relative.

"I can't sleep; I can't eat because I don't know whether my son is in the mortuary or is sick. There is no need for them to refuse us entry and at the same time they are not giving us information," she added.

The relatives said they had been asked to wait until Wednesday to be briefed on the situation inside the prison.

"I have my son who is in remand here and I have been informed he is sick with diarrhoea and vomiting but I have not been allowed to see him since yesterday," said another relative.

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Mysterious-disease-kills-8-inmates-in-Kenya-6596.html

 

[alert]

Re: Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya

Re: Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya

At least 10 deaths, but this is almost certainly cholera.

http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=61117

Cholera: Kalonzo visits Kamiti inmates
Written By:Margaret Kalekye/vpps , Posted: Mon, Nov 23, 2009


Caption: Kalonzo announced that the government would put up a district hospital at the maximum prison, noting that the available facility was insufficient


The government has contained the outbreak of cholera at the Kamiti Maximum Prison which left 10 inmates dead and scores hospitalized, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has said.

Speaking Monday at the Prison after visiting ailing inmates admitted to its Hospital and the Kenyatta National Hospital, Kalonzo commended the prisons, medical and water personnel for taking swift action to curb further spread of the highly infectious disease.

"I am happy to note besides starting immediate treatment of those affected, you have also carried out prophylaxis among the inmates" the VP noted.

The Vice President however expressed deep regrets at the lose of the the inmates saying that the government was committed to protecting the rights of all Kenyans regardless of whether they are free or imprisoned.

He announced that the government would put up a district hospital at the maximum prison, noting that the available facility was insufficient to deal with the many inmates in the prison.

The VP said tests have ruled out the prisons water system or food as the cause of the epidemic, adding that it was suspected the disease was introduced into the facility by a new inmate, who had contracted it from one of the affected estates in Nairobi.

The Commissioner of Prisons Isaiah Osugo, said that they were doing everything to contain the situation.

The government has also suspended trial of Kamiti inmates to curb further spread of the disease.

 

[alert]

Re: Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya

Re: Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya

And maybe 13 deaths.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/801958/-/vmtdm0/-/

Nine inmates die of cholera at Kamiti prison

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Hardcore inmates at Kamiti Maximum Prison in a file picture. Thirteen inmates are feared to have died at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison following an outbreak of cholera at the penal institution. CHRIS OJOW

By PAUL JUMA and DOMINIC WABALAPosted Sunday, November 22 2009 at 10:46

Nine inmates have been confirmed dead following an outbreak of cholera at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.

Eight of the inmates had died in the prison by Sunday morning, and one later died at Kenyatta National Hospital.

However, sources at the prison claim that a total of 13 inmates have died so far at the penal institution.

They said the additional deaths occurred as the patients were being rushed to the hospital after falling ill.

Bodies of the deceased are being kept at the City Mortuary, but Nation could not establish their number as the official authorised to release information concerning the bodies was said to be away.

More than 50 sick inmates are reported to be in isolation at the Kamiti prison and KNH.

Early Sunday, 16 inmates, in serious condition, were transferred from Kamiti to KNH, at 5 am. However, the hospital, through its Public relations officer Simon Ithae, confirmed receiving 15 patients, one of whom he said died at the hospital.

More than 50 inmates were by yesterday afternoon quarantined for treatment at the prison?s isolation block and sick bay, where all sick inmates were transferred, according to prison sources.

By Sunday afternoon, water tankers from the Nairobi City Council were delivering clean water to the prison as doctors issuied water to the patients.

Prison authorities sought medicine and other asistance public health authorities and the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency.

Most of the inmates were said to be vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea, with little or no water available.

Relatives of some inmates who were at Kamiti prison over the weekend alleged that the cases were reported two weeks ago, but the officer responsible for recommending hospitalisation of the sick inmates declined to do so.

Among the dead are John Karanja Mwangi, Aloyce Mumo Muli, Joseph Njonjo Mbugua, Philip Mundwa Nzala, Munal Nzau and Mutunga Kioko Muli.

The Commissioner of Prisons, Mr Isaiah Osugo, who arrived back from Israel on Saturday morning, visited Kamiti Maximum Security prison and said that they were doing everything to contain the situation.

By Sunday afternoon, Mr Osugo was reported to be holding a crisis meeting with the Director for Public Health, Dr Shanaz Sharif and senior prisons officers about the situation.

The first cases of the disease were reported at the prison on Friday night, when the first death occurred, according to Mr Osugo.

And on Sunday, he said the situation was critical and could result to more deaths.

Mr Osugo said they suspected some inmates contracted the disease in the courts and later spread it in the prison.

Recently, a cholera outbreak, which left more than nine people dead, occurred in Nairobi?s Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums.

Other suspected cases were reported in Eastleigh and Bahati areas in Nairobi.

 

[alert]

Re: Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya

Re: Mysterious disease kills 8 inmates in Kenya

This is clearly cholera, and the title should be changed (we can call it "probable cholera" if we want to wait for a lab confirmation), as there is no other agent that fits this description, and all the articles from the past 12 hours are just referring to this as a cholera outbreak.

 

[alert]

Re: Cholera kills 8 inmates in Kenya

And cholera is confirmed. Change the title. I fear this is going to be a large cholera outbreak, as they seem to lack the resources to control it.

Update: Thank you to the moderator for the title change. Perhaps the prison should also be removed from the title as the outbreak is wider than just in the prison.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?glide=EH-20091124-23949-KEN&cat=dis&lang=eng

The number of cholera patients admitted at the Kenyatta National Hospital rose to 31 on Monday, causing fears of an epidemic in Nairobi. While 16 were inmates from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, 15 others had been brought from Kayole and Dandora slums, according to Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka. And Public Health minister Beth Mugo said 59 other inmates were being treated for diarrhoea. On Monday, Mr Musyoka said the outbreak should be considered a national epidemic since the disease had also killed some people in Lodwar. "It seems like there is a cholera outbreak in the country," the VP said yesterday at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison after visiting inmates being treated at the prison's hospital. He urged Kenyans to observe hygienic practices like washing their hands and boiling water before drinking to prevent further spread of the disease. The Director for Public Health, Dr Shanaz Shariff, said 11 samples from the prison had been taken for testing and three had tested positive for cholera. And Mr Musyoka blamed the spread of the disease and the deaths of the inmates on inadequate medical facilities and congestion in the prison. "What we have here is not attractive and is not sufficient for a maximum prison like this.

There was no fluid to administer to patients," he said. And Mrs Mugo said the outbreak at Kamiti was caused by a new inmate who had been transferred there. However, this could not be verified independently. Each block at Kamiti is allocated a day when sick inmates can seek medical attention. Inmates in G Block and Isolation, which hold hardcore criminals are only allowed medical attention on Mondays while E Block and F block can only visit the prison hospital on Tuesdays. Wednesdays are reserved for prisoners in Block A and B while Thursdays are set for inmates in block D and C. Convicts condemned to death can only seek medical attention on Fridays. Meanwhile, most murder hearings and appeals at the Nairobi law courts could not proceed on Monday after inmates from Kamiti failed to turn up. Warders from the prison said the inmates could not be taken to court because their movement had been restricted due to cholera outbreak. A number of inmates had matters pending at the Court of Appeal while others had cases at the High Court. The cases that proceeded involved inmates from other institutions, such as Lang'ata and Industrial Area prisons. As the government team was touring the prison, new patients were being taken into the prison's hospital. Health workers could be seen spraying the compound with disinfectants. Security officers positioned strategically on rooftops and watchtowers, with others on the ground, maintained security during the VP's visit. And for the second day, anxious relatives camped at the prison's gate, eager to be allowed to see their remanded or imprisoned relatives to confirm whether they were well, sick or dead. However, security officers could not allow them in. Neither did they inform them of the state of their loved ones. "We just want to be allowed to see our relatives and know how they are," said Ms Jane Mwaura, whose son has been remanded at the prison.