…..Katsina suspected 118 Cases
OGUN, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA) – No fewer than 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis confirmed to be caused by cholera has been discovered at the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kirikiri Medium Security Prison.
This was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, on Sunday, July 30.
Recall that NCoS had reported zero case as at wednesday, June 26, 2024.
However, in a statement on Sunday, signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the commissioner reported “a small outbreak of 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis confirmed to be caused by cholera.”
He said urgent medical and environmental measures had been implemented successfully.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also recorded 118 suspected cholera cases in Katsina State.
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According to data available from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed as of June 24, 2024, there were 1,528 suspected cholera cases, 65 confirmed cases and 53 deaths across 107 local government areas in 31 states, reflecting a case fatality rate of 3.5 per cent since the beginning of the year.
The most affected states were Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa and Lagos.
To combat the spread, President Bola Tinubu approved the establishment of a multi-sectoral cabinet committee on the control of the epidemic, headed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.
Speaking on the Lagos outbreak, Abayomi, at the update on the cholera outbreak at the weekend, said no new cholera-related deaths had been reported in the last 72 hours, as the government kept intensifying countermeasures to eliminate transmission.
He confirmed ongoing low-grade community transmission, as the new daily cases and deaths reduced.
He, however, noted that interventions were bearing dividends as residents were adhering to public health information and advice on safety measures and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms developed.
On the Kirikiri incident, Abayomi said, “We supplied Kirikiri medium prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention, and other health consumables.
“Additionally, the World Health Organisation donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals already delivered to the prison to support prison health facilities with prevention strategies for about 3,200 inmates if required.