Cholera kills five in Ogun

OGUN State government on Friday confirmed outbreaks of cholera in the state with five deaths recorded.

The state government said it has also commenced intense fumigation of the environment to contain the spread as the highly contagious disease hit four communities in Abeokuta North council area of the state.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Adesanya, Ayinde, who made this known while addressing reporters in respect of the cholera outbreak, said 12 cases have been reported with five deaths recorded out of the known cases.

Adesanya identified  the communities as Abule – Otun, Lafenwa, Kuto and Kobiti as the areas affected by the cholera outbreaks even as fumigations have commenced in the communities by the officials of the ministries of environment and agriculture respectively in order to arrest the spread of the disease through killing of the causative organism.

The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that of the five fatal cases, one person died in the hospital while four others died in the affected communities, stressing that eight cases were reported from health facilities and four picked in the communities from retrospective case search and confirmed through laboratory test.

He said the State Epidemiology Unit had earlier received a report of laboratory test confirming a case cholera from the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta and swung into action immediately.

He said the State hospital Ijaiye, Abeokuta have been identified as referral centre for treatment and have provided the hospital with materials to manage cases.

He said: “The case (index) is that of  a 33 year- old  woman who presented at FMC on referral on the 19th of November from a private facility. She resides in Abule Otun, Lafwnwa, Abeokuta but trades at Kuto Market. Prior to onset  of symptoms, she ate rice (purchased from food vendor) with pure water at Kuto market.

“There have been prior reported suspected cases of cholera linked to Kuto market but could not be confirmed because they had commenced antibiotics.

“A total of twelve cases (index vase inclusive) have been line-listed, eight reported from heath facilities and four picked in the communities from retrospective case search.

“ One death from cases reported in the health facilities and four other deaths in the community that never reported at the health facilities but information gathered from investigation.”

Ayinde said that the government through water corporation would commence screening of local sources of water in the communities.

He however warned the residence of the state to desist from open defecations, saying that any house found without toilet would be sanctioned.

Ayinde advised residents to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene, urging them to wash their hands after using the toilet, wash their food thoroughly before eating and to boil water from untrustworthy sources before drinking it.