Many people feared dead while many others are responding to treatment following a cholera outbreak that ravaged four Local Government Areas of Kebbi State.
The cholera outbreak may not be unconnected with the recent floods that rendered many people homeless, destroyed farm produce and other property and contaminated drinking water in the affected areas.
When contacted, the Director, Community Health, Kebbi State Ministry of Health, Muhammad Abdullahi Bubuce who confirmed the outbreak but refused to give specific figure for the dead persons.
According to him, the ministry had taken immediate measures to arrest the situation toward curbing further spread.
He said: “From the reports we received so far, 328 persons have been infected with the disease but the worse hit areas are; Kalgo, Sakaba, Maiyama and Suru Local Government Areas.
“For now, we have enough medicine in stock to take care of patients especially those whose sicknesses have not deteriorate.
“I want to appeal to people to prioritise personal and environmental hygiene and ensure that every house has a toilet for use as against passing out stool in the bush.
“Once we do not provide toilets in our houses, our environment will continue to contaminate, hence the need to adhere to this advice.”
Reports indicated that the affected victims had no option than to use contaminated water for their daily activities.
A cross section of victims who recovered from the sickness said after the floods hit their areas, water in the affected area became contaminated, yet, they have to use the same water for daily activities as there was no option to that.
