NAIROBI (Halbeeg News) – Over 300 people have been diagnosed measles following the outbreak of the disease in Mandera County near Kenya’s border with Somalia.
The county’s health department said the disease killed people and recorded 313 cases since February this year when it was first reported.
Mandera County minister for Health, Mohamud Mohamed said the region carried out a swift measure to control the spread of the epidermis disease.
“We have managed the situation in Mandera East, North, South, and Lafey sub-counties through emergency immunisation, but the national government will support the fight in the remaining areas,” he said.
Mr. Mohamed blamed the low immunisation cover in Mandera on the nomadic nature of the communities.
“Locals in Mandera are always on the move with their livestock at the expense of medical attention, but we are following them into interior grazing fields for immunisation,” said the official.
The symptoms of measles could include watery eyes, sneezing, dry cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, inflamed eyes and sensitivity to light besides a fever that could range from mild to severe.
The reddish-brown rash appears around three to four days after initial symptoms and could last for over a week. It (rash) starts behind the ears and spreads over the head and neck. After a couple of days, it spreads to the rest of the body, including the legs.
Discussion about this post