Kenya’s Health ministry has confirmed a cholera outbreak currently affecting parts of the country, with a total of 95 cases and six fatalities recorded as of April 6, 2025.
The waterborne disease has spread across three counties: Migori, Kisumu, and Nairobi.
Migori County is the hardest hit with 53 cases and one death, with the affected sub-counties being Suna East, Suna West, Kuria East, and Kuria West.
Most patients in the area have recovered, with only two still hospitalised, officials said.
Kisumu County has recorded 32 cases and four deaths, while Nairobi has reported 12 cases and one death, bringing the overall case fatality rate to 6.2%.
Cholera is contracted through the consumption of food or water contaminated with the bacteria, and it presents symptoms such as sudden onset of severe watery diarrhoea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and potentially fatal dehydration within hours to days of infection.
The Ministry of Health of Kenya, in collaboration with the respective county governments, has initiated several emergency response actions.
These include enhanced surveillance, training of health workers, water hygiene and sanitation measures, risk communication, community engagement, and case management in the affected areas.
“The Ministry of Health reassures the public that the country is adequately prepared to manage and contain this outbreak,” said Aden Duale, health cabinet secretary.
“We are on high alert in all counties, surveillance activities have been stepped up, as well as intensified community awareness to ensure that any alerts are responded to in a timely manner.”
Health authorities are urging the public to maintain personal hygiene, ensure access to safe water and proper sanitation, and observe food safety to curb the further spread of the disease.
Cholera, an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, has been a recurring public health challenge in Kenya since its first recorded case in 1971.
Key Outbreaks and Trends:
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- 1997–1999: Kenya experienced its most severe cholera outbreak, with 26,901 reported cases and 1,362 deaths, yielding a case fatality rate of 5.1%.
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- 2009: The Mutomo District in Eastern Province faced a significant outbreak, resulting in seven deaths and 1,134 diagnosed cases. Contributing factors included water scarcity, reliance on unsafe water sources, and inadequate sanitation.
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- 2014–2019: The nation saw a resurgence in cholera cases, with 10,568 cases reported in 2015 and 5,208 in 2019. Studies indicate that cholera outbreaks occurred annually during this period, except for a few years, often linked to climatic factors and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure.
- 2022–2023: A cholera outbreak traced to a wedding festival in Kiambu County in October 2022 led to cases spreading across the region. By February 2023, Kenya had reported 4,821 cases and 85 deaths.
