7 Die Of Suspected Cholera Outbreak In Taraba – Commissioner

A commissioner has revealed that seven has died of suspected cholera outbreak in Taraba State.

At least seven people have been confirmed dead, following an outbreak of what is suspected to be cholera at Tella town in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Health Commissioner Innocent Vakkai, who confirmed the incident yesterday in Jalingo, the state capital, also announced that several others had been hospitalised in healthcare centres in the area with symptoms of severe stooling and vomiting.

Vakkai said a team of medical experts from the state Ministry of Health had been dispatched to the area to investigate the cases and report back.

Also, the Chairman of Gassol Local Government Area, Alhaji Musa Chul, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that at least 25 persons were on admission at the Tella Maternity Clinic after exhibiting symptoms of cholera.

He confirmed receiving a report from Tella on Saturday evening that three people had died of vomiting and strolling.

The council chairman added that on Sunday morning, he dispatched a health team from the local government to the town to investigate the incident.

He said before the arrival of the local government medical team, four others were also said to have died on Sunday due to severe vomiting and strolling.

According to him, the worst hit area of the outbreak is Unguwan Kabawa, a suburb of Tella, where the first suspected cases were reported on Saturday evening.

Also, the Federal Government has said it will soon inaugurate National Environmental Sanitation Response Intervention against cholera outbreak in Kubwa in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) currently the epicenter in the FCT.

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, announced this while addressing reporters on the cholera outbreak yesterday in Abuja.

Abubakar said the latest situation report from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released on August 10 indicated a total number of 33,661 suspected cases, including 938 deaths in 22 states and the FCT.

The minister said the ministry, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including Environmental Health Officer’s (EHO’s) in the states and local government areas, would embark on nationwide intervention response activities.

He said the ministry had activated sanitation desks in the 36 state offices of the ministry, as well as the FCT, adding that the effort was for effective response to the outbreak.

Abubakar urged the heads of the desks to carry out environmental sanitation activities in the states to contain the outbreak.