Kenya: 90 police officers in hospital for cholera

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI (AA) – More than 90 Kenyan police officers have been admitted to hospitals after testing positive for cholera after eating infected food at a police cafeteria, officials announced on Monday.

The officers were part of a larger group of 430 deployed in the capital Nairobi to provide security for the landmark Supreme Court ruling on Friday nullifying the recent presidential elections.

Speaking to reporters, Kenya’s Health Minister Cleopa Mailu blamed unhygienic food handlers, saying that the country has witnessed an upsurge of cholera cases in the past few months.

“Most of the patients are now stable, and we will crack down on unhygienic food handlers to minimize cholera cases,” Mailu said, adding that much needs to be done, especially during the country’s current rainy season.

“This is a matter which we are seeing is resurging rather than receding and because of this, we have to enforce food testing and hygienic preparations for food handlers.”

Over the weekend, over 40 police officers were admitted to hospitals after showing cholera-like symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and dehydration.

This May, at least 60 people in the Kenyan capital contracted cholera, which claimed three lives.