No fewer than 20 persons have died from a cholera outbreak in Bauchi State.
The State’s Commissioner of Health Dr. Aliyu Maigoro confirmed this at a briefing yesterday.
According to him, the index case was a 37- year- old housewife, who was admitted at the Burra General Hospital on April 24, in Ningi local government area.
He said upon her admission, it was discovered there is an ongoing outbreak of similar disease in neighboring communities like Sumaila and other local government areas of Kano State, which may have spread to Bauchi.
The woman was said to have complained of abdominal pains, watery diarrhea and vomiting which was successfully managed before she was later discharged alongside others.
He further said that nine local government areas in the State recorded a total of 322 cases within one month, adding that the case fatality rate is now 6.2 percent.
The commissioner added that following intensive surveillance by the officials of the ministry through the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, cases were detected in Warji, Bauchi, Giade and Toro local government areas of the State.
He said measures taken so far to prevent further spread include reactivation of the already existing state Public Health Emergency Operation Center and the development of an Incident Action Plan.
The commissioner also noted that isolation centers have been set up in all General Hospitals of the affected LGs while surveillance activities have been heightened to detect and report cases promptly.
