Health officials have ruled out cholera outbreak at Upper Hill School and confirmed that the 100 students who earlier complained of stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting tested positive for Amoebiasis.
Dr Carol Ngunu, the director of Promotive and Preventive Health Services in Nairobi County addressed parents at the school, assuring them of their children’s safety.
Several tests were conducted on the students admitted at Savannah Healthcare, Mbagathi hospital and South B hospital and are expected to be discharged and allowed back in school.
The health officials have collected samples of water and food from the school for more tests with the results expected by the end of this week.
“Our initial test and what we treated for has been amoebiasis and so we are investigating what could have been the original cause or source of that infection,” Dr Ngunu said.
“We as the health department have also taken the samples to culture for cholera; we did rapid tests and they turned negative.”
Also Read: Matiang’i to be Charged in Court
The school administration has ruled out closure following the incident, insisting that Ministry of Health officials were up to the task of attending to the affected students.
Amoebiasis is a parasitic infection of the colon with the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica spread through drinking or eating uncooked food.
Dr Ngunu says 11 students are still admitted and were expected to be discharged later on Tuesday as they are in stable condition.