The Federal Capital Territory Administration has said that seven deaths have been recorded from the outbreak of cholera in four communities in the territory.
The Director of Public Health in the Health and
Human Services Secretariat, FCTA, Dr. Humphrey Okoroukwu, confirmed this to the
News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
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Okoroukwu said two deaths were recorded at Kubwa
village, one at Sauka, another two deaths at Mpape and two at Ushafa.
However, he said that the outbreak in Kwali and
Kuje Local Area Councils did not claim any life, while the situation in the two
area councils and those at Sauka, Mpape and Kubwa villages has been curtailed.
According to him, the outbreak at Ushafa is the most
recent, and “all efforts have been put in place by the administration to
address it.
The director also disclosed that there were 58
cases listed in the recent outbreak at Ushafa, comprising 36 females and 22
males.
He emphasised that only two deaths were recorded
at Ushafa and refuted speculations of five deaths from the disease in the
community.
Okoroukwu noted that the cases fitted into the
definition cases of cholera, while laboratory confirmation was being awaited.
The director said, however, that a case of
cholera had been established from the laboratory tests conducted on one of the
patients.
“We are treating them as cholera, so that we
won’t take any chances, and our disease surveillance officers in Bwari Area
Council are all on ground in Ushafa to curtail it.
“We have since sent some medications to Bwari
General Hospital as well as chlorine and water guard for the treatment of their
drinkable water,” he said.
Okoroukwu noted that health education had been
intensified in communities to sensitise residents on the prevention and
management of the disease.
The official urged residents not to panic,
saying necessary measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the
disease.
(NAN)
