Nakuru county government has released a list of areas in the city that they say are at high risk of having a surge in Tuberculosis (TB) infection.

According to the county government, those to be affected are people living in urban areas which they say are at high risk as the spread of the disease could become rampant.

These areas include Nakuru CBD and estates nearby it, Bahati, Gilgil, Njoro Molo and Naivasha town.

Due to this he above areas are being targeted by the county in an initiative to reduce the rise in infections.

One of the high-risk factors making these places conducive breeding grounds for TB infections include the high concentration of people, which creates the perfect conditions for TB to spread from person to person.

Other high-risk factors include the presence of congregate settings such as slums, schools, prisons, street families and others.

The county, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, has launched a Rapid Result Initiative aimed at curbing the rise in infections of the disease.

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The county secretary, Dr Samuel Mwaura, said the initiative will involve several activities such as community awareness, mobilisation for screening and testing, provision of treatment, follow-up of patients, development and implementation of a contact management initiative.

"The county TB coordination team led by Dr Neimah Barasa has been conducting TB testing using a chest X-ray machine in selected sub-counties," said Dr Mwaura.

On her part, Dr Barasa, the county TB and Leprosy Coordinator, said the six-month programme is aimed at reducing the rate of infection as well as helping to identify the correct number of patients in the county.

According to Dr Barasa, the National TB Survey has revealed that at least 48 per cent of TB cases are missed nationally due to wrong approaches.

"We will also be engaging the private sector to assist in case tracing and referral as we try to reach all the cases we find," said Dr Barasa.

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Symptoms the team will be looking for include persistent cough, fever, chest pain, drenching night sweats, unintentional rapid weight loss in adults and cough and fever lasting 2 weeks, lethargy or fatigue, reduced playfulness, poor weight gain or loss and night sweats in children.

The number of new cases is expected to rise to 4000 by the end of the year, compared with a record 3554 cases last year.

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Here is a list of places in Nakuru where there is a high risk of an increase in TB infections

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Joseph Openda