Nairobi — Cholera is on the rise in Nairobi slums, raising fears of a widespread outbreak of the deadly disease.

Kenyatta National Hospital, which is treating most of the patients, yesterday hinted at a possible outbreak in the country, saying it should be handled as an emergency.

KNH chief executive, Dr Jotham Micheni, said the hospital receives four to five cholera patients daily from Dandora, Mukuru, Mathare, Gikomba, Korogocho, Huruma and other slum areas, where people live in poor hygienic conditions.

A total of 32 patients, some of them inmates from Kamiti Prison, were being treated at the country's largest referral hospital and were said to be in a stable condition.

But Dr Micheni warned of a "silent epidemic" in the country, which he said required urgent intervention by the public, the government and the private sector.

"There is a cholera outbreak. The situation in the country requires to be handled as an emergency; there is cholera in Nairobi and it has also been reported in Mombasa and Lodwar," he said.

Dr Micheni said the priority should be preventing further spread, and asked the public to seek treatment without delay when they experience symptoms of cholera. He blamed unauthorised water vendors of playing a role in spreading the disease in the city by carrying the commodity in tanks meant for human waste.

He advised the public to boil water for drinking, and asked the government, the media and civil society to educate the people on hygiene.

The Public Health director, Dr Shanaz Shariff, said a team of health officers had been sent to Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums.

He added that 40 inmates who had contracted the disease at Kamiti were discharged from the prison's hospital after they recovered.

He said the rest of the patients were in a stable condition, adding that three cases of diarrhoea had tested negative for cholera.

"The prisoners were discharged after their condition appeared to have stabilised. However, they are being closely monitored to ensure the disease, which is highly contagious, does not flare-up again," he said.

A cholera outbreak occurred at the maximum security prison last Friday, and the disease spread quickly among the inmates as jail officials and government health officers fought to contain its spread.

By Monday, the disease had claimed the lives of at least nine inmates, while more than 50 were admitted at both KNH and Kamiti dispensary.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka said the outbreak should be dealt with like an epidemic.