IN Borno State,
cholera has claimed no fewer than 23 lives with 530 suspected cases, the
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, said
yesterday.
The UN agency added
in a statement that a cholera outbreak was first reported by the
state's Ministry of Health, adding that the first case was recorded on
August 16.
OCHA said: "Over 530 suspected cases had been registered as of September 5, including 23 deaths (4.3 percent fatality rate).
"The outbreak is
mainly in Muna Garage, a camp hosting at least 20,000
internally-displaced persons, IDPs, on the outskirts of the state
capital, Maiduguri. Although most cases have been identified in Muna
Garage camp, others have been identified in Custom House, Ruwan Zafi and
Bolori II, all camps located near Muna Garage.
"There have also
been reports of a suspected cholera outbreak in Monguno and Dikwa Local
Government areas, North-East and East of Maiduguri, respectively."
The latest figures
suggested a 4.3 percent fatality rate--well above the one percent rate
that the World Health Organisation, WHO, rates as an emergency.
The short incubation period of two hours to five days means the disease can spread with explosive speed
Control measures
However, the State
Ministry of Health, the Rural Water and Sanitation Agency and
humanitarian organisations, including UN agencies, are responding to the
outbreak, OCHA said.
The UN agency added
that an Emergency Operational Centre had been set up to manage the
response, adding that the Ministry of Health has established one 30-bed
Cholera Treatment Centre with the support of humanitarian partners in
Muna Garage camp.
OCHA said two Oral
Rehydration Points had been set up in Muna Garage, while health
organisations were also carrying out risk communications, including
making regular and frequent visits to households to encourage
individuals with cholera-like symptoms to be screened.
It added: "By
communicating at household level in this way, health partners have
visited more than 1,300 households which resulted in the identification
of 53 suspected cases of cholera.
"Hygiene promoters have carried out door-to-door hygiene sensitisation and have distributed chlorination tablets.
"In addition, special interventions are being undertaken to prevent spread of cholera in the markets where people buy food."
1 comment:
Ministry of health please do something oh
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