Cholera kills four in Yobe

Four persons have reportedly died and two others hospitalised following a suspected cholera outbreak in Gujba Local Government area of Yobe state.

The disease was said to have surfaced in Jangalawaji and Tadangara settlements under Gujba ward, Gujba LGA of the state.

A source from the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Gujba LG office, who didn’t want his name mentioned confirmed the development to our reporter.

The source said: “A total number of 45 patients had signs and symptoms of Cholera disease, out of which four deaths have been recorded and two were admitted in the Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC) Buni Yadi,” the source said.

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Daily Trust gathered that following a devastating flood that ravaged some parts of the state, health experts say there is need for proper hygiene to prevent outbreaks of diseases like cholera.

Another source in the LG said, a Rapid Response Team with the support of partners like the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had visited the settlements to intervene.

“Community sensitization on water hygiene, food hygiene, personal hygiene, Environmental hygiene in the affected communities have been conducted.

“The council chairman of Gujba LG has donated drugs for treatment. So far, medication was given to the affected patients in both settlements,” the source said.

It was gathered that the WHO had directed the LGA Facilitator for collection of water sample for investigation.

When contacted, the State Commissioner, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Dr. Muhammad Lawan Gana, said: “We are only aware of acute watery diarrhea cases in a community locked by water in Gujba last week.

“This has since been controlled, and there are no new cases. Diarrhea is a common disease where there is flood disaster.

“However, swift interventions from the health team and partners control such occurrences.”