Cholera kills 17 as cases rise to 1,004 in Plateau

The Plateau State Government on Monday disclosed that no fewer than 17 persons had died of cholera outbreaks in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Lar, gave the update while briefing journalists in Jos.

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According to him, out of the 1,004 suspected cases recorded in the state, 980 patients have been discharged, while seven others are still receiving treatment in various hospitals in the state.

The commissioner gave the breakdown of the affected local government areas to include Jos North, Jos South, Riyom, Kanam, Bokkos, Wase, Mangu, Bassa, Jos East, Barkin Ladi, Qua’anpan, Langtang North and Shendam.

Lar, who restated the commitment of the government to stopping the spread of the disease, advised the people to imbibe the habits of frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitiser when water was not available among other measures to avoid the spread of the disease.

He said, “As a government, we are not relenting in our efforts to address the problem, but we also want to appeal to the public to always maintain good sanitation and shun indiscriminate dumping of waste, which causes waste to be washed into various water sources and bodies, especially during this rainy season, because this also forms part of the solution when practised by the people.”