The Bauchi state government says cholera outbreak has killed no fewer than 20 people in the state.
The Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Aliyu Maigoro, disclosed this at a press conference held at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Bauchi on Tuesday.
He said that nine local government areas in the state recorded a total of 322 cases within one month adding that the case fatality rate is 6.2 per cent.
He explained, “The state Ministry of Health was notified of a sporadic case of gastroenteritis in Magami Community, Burra Ward of Ningi Local Government Area by the Area Health Officer in Burra District on the 11th May 2021. This followed an increase in the number of cases above normal from the community.
“The index case was a 37-year old housewife who presented at Burra General Hospital on 24th April 2021. She complained of abdominal pains, watery diarrhoea and vomiting, she and others were successfully managed and discharged home.”
He said that the Ministry through the Primary Health Care Development Agency responded 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 LGAs of Kano State.
“A total of 21 samples have so far been collected and tested out of which 19 positive by Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and by culture which confirmed the presence of v.cholera.