The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture students have been told to avoid hawked food such as cut fruits, fries, salads, and juices.
The University issued a notice to their students warning them about a possible cholera outbreak in Juja, Kiambu.
JKUAT Chief Medical Officer R W Mumo wrote in an internal memo dated November 29 that several cases have been reported in the area.
“We expect strict hand washing before handling food. The students should drink only boiled water,” Mumo stated in the memo on Friday.
Cholera is a serious waterborne disease that affects the small intestine and can kill within hours if left untreated.
Surprisingly, the disease is preventable through the use of a common household item, chlorine, that is commonly found in bleach or water treatment solutions.
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that two drops of the solution be put in one litre of drinking water 30 minutes before use.
The solution can also be put in water that is used around the house for cooking and other purposes where boiling the water is not feasible.
Other hygiene practices that help prevent the disease include washing hands with soap and water, using a latrine where toilets are not available and keeping the kitchen clean.
Kenya also has an oral vaccine, under the brand name Shanchol, that is administered to family members of an infected person to prevent transmitting it.