Twenty residents of Bauchi State have lost their lives to Cholera while 302 others are receiving treatment in hospitals, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aliyu Maigoro, said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Maigoro explained that nine local councils in the state recorded 322 cases in one month, putting the fatality rate at 6.2 per cent.
He said: “The state’s Ministry of Health was notified of a sporadic case of gastroenteritis in Magami Community, Burra Ward of Ningi Local Council by the Area Health Officer in Burra District on the May 11, 2021.
“This followed an increase in the number of cases above normal in the community. The index case was a 37-year-old housewife who presented at Burra General Hospital on April 24, 2021. She complained of abdominal pains, diarrhoea and vomiting. She and others were successfully managed and discharged.”
According to the commissioner, the ministry responded through the Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) immediately to prevent the spread to other communities, adding that it was discovered that there was an ongoing outbreak of similar diseases in neighbouring Sumaila and other local councils of Kano.
He said: “Following intensified surveillance activities as a result of the report from Burra, Warji, Bauchi, Giade and Toro, cases of gastroenteritis were detected and reported.
“A total of 21 samples have so far been collected and tested by Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and by culture, out of which 19 turned out positive confirming the presence of v.cholera.”
The Guardian gathered that Bauchi recorded 147 cases with nine deaths, Toro 58 cases with three deaths, Ningi 51 cases also with three deaths, Misau 31 cases with four deaths, Warji 16 cases with no death, Giade 10 cases with one death, Ganjuwa seven cases with no death, while Shira and Darazo recorded one case each with no deaths.
This brings the total cases to 322 with 20 deaths (6.2 per cent) death rate.
The commissioner said that four cholera treatment units had been activated at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi; Specialist Hospital, Bauchi; Urban Maternity and Primary Health Centre, Kandahar.
He advised residents to be more careful with their source of drinking water, pointing out that the Risk Communication Team was working with the community and religious leaders to educate people on the need to boil their water properly before drinking.
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