Trans Nzoia Deputy Governor Stanley Tarus has refuted claims that pupils of Chetoto Primary School were infected with cholera.
Speaking to Journalists on Friday, Tarus said Laboratory tests on pupils of Chetoto primary school in Kitale show that they were infected with E-Coli infection and not cholera as earlier reported.
E-coli is a bacterial infection in the intestinal system.
He said according to the investigations by the county health and environmental officers, the pupils might have taken contaminated water caused by a burst sewer line on the upper slopes of the school.
He said this was caused by heavy rains.
On Wednesday, 142 pupils at the school complained of abdominal pains and headaches.
The County rapid response team swung into action.
The county ambulances were immediately deployed to ferry the pupils and they were attended to,
140 pupils were discharged after treatment while two were admitted.
“Samples taken from the pupils for laboratory confirmation were negative of cholera but showed contamination with E-Coli” Tarus said.
Currently, the health department is offering health education to the affected community by encouraging people in the surrounding to desist from “open defecation, drink treated safe water and practice hand washing with soap at critical points”.
Tarus said the County government is chlorinating water in affected villages, closing down open air cooking and also banned food hawking in Kitale town.
He added that the health department is liaising with the Red Cross, provincial administration, Education department and water department to mitigate the outbreak.