One child is reported to have died following the Swine Flu Outbreak in Nakuru County’s Elementaita after the first case of the virus on July 27, 2022.
This came in after eight people got admitted to Kiptangwany hospital after displaying H1N1 flu symptoms. These were 8 children under five that got admitted for the same.
Some of the main symptoms of the H1N1 flu include coughing, sneezing, wheezing, fever, headache, a runny nose, and chest pains. This is not the first time that the area realized a swine flu outbreak as the same happened in February 2020.
According to health reports, the impact of the flu falls heavily on children under one. For instance, the Kiptangwany health center located in Gilgil had its isolation ward receiving more and more patients displaying Swine (H1N1) flu symptoms, with most that end up in admission being children under one.
The outbreak has led to about a hundred and forty-two residents of Elementaita in the Gilgil area getting hospitalized and receiving treatment within the past one month. Out of the 142 reported cases, 86 are children under 12 months. This accounts for 61.4 percent of the total population of the reported cases.
However, health officials are working round the clock to determine the cause of the outbreak. Still, the locals are worried about the deadly disease especially since its effect falls more on the younger population.
The health officials have revealed that the H1N1 flu outbreak has encompassed the eight villages under the Elementaita ward in the Gilgil constituency. However, health officials have recorded a drop in the number of admissions to the hospital. By yesterday August 24, 2022, the number of new admissions had dropped from fifteen a day to about four a day.
However, the government of Kenya has assured the residents of Nakuru county that the swine flu outbreak is under control and there is no reason for worry. The Nakuru County Public Health Chief Officer Dr.Daniel Wainaina revealed that the office has put suitable mitigation actions to curb the spread of the Swine flu virus.
Out of the 8 children, 2 are admitted to Nakuru Level 5 Hospital whereas 6 are admitted to Kiptangwany Health Center.
The health official is urging the members of the public to uphold good hygiene practices such as proper sanitation, nutrition, and excellent ventilation to curb and eradicate the flu.
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