• Sunday, December 22, 2024
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Cholera outbreak kills nursing mother, 9 others in Ebonyi

Cholera cases in Nigeria surge to 14,237, with 378 deaths

About 10 persons have been reported dead following a fresh cholera outbreak in Ndibokote village of Ezza Inyimagu in Izzi Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.

Among the victims were a nursing mother who left a 9-month-old baby, aged men, women and children.

According to community sources, the cholera outbreak started on Monday, September 23, 2024.

Moses Ekuma Commissioner for Health in the state during a rapid response at Iziogo Health Center Thursday, confirmed the cholera outbreak and said that about 9 to 10 deaths have been recorded dead while about 20 affected persons were responding to treatment.

He said the government was working hard to bring the outbreak under control. he commended Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for approving funds for medical commodities to tackle the outbreak.

Ekuma said that three emergency treatment centres including Iziogo Health Centre, Sudan Mission Hospital, Onuenyim and Ndibokote village have been established in the area.

Read also: Cholera hits Borno as state records 40 suspected cases, confirms 2

He urged the people to take precautionary measures to prevent further spread of the disease.

“Once you start having symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting or even any, you should rush to any of these emergency treatment centres”.

The Commissioner explained that the ministry embarked on an emergency response to avoid further loss of lives in the area and thanked WHO and UNICEF for their support.

Some members of the community told journalists that the outbreak began after the burial of a woman suspected to have died of cholera last week.

“We don’t know what to do again. We reached Local Government Chairman and Coordinator. Coordinator told us that he is making a possible effort to make sure that he comes to our aid but since then up till now, we have not seen anybody”, they said.

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