Thursday, 25 July 2013

Cholera Outbreak kills 5 in Ogun

ABEOKUTA  — Five persons have reportedly lost their lives following an outbreak of Cholera in  Abeokuta  South  and North local government areas of  Ogun  State.

The state government which confirmed the outbreak, however, claimed that only one person died as a result of  poor hygiene on the part of the residents.

But, Vanguard findings revealed that, the incident  was linked  to a septic tank which spilled its content into major water sources in the area, thereby contaminating them.

Fear has however, gripped  residents of Abeokuta  who are reportedly apprehensive  about drinking water from water pipes in their areas.

An unconfirmed report has it that  the number of deaths from  the  outbreak may be more than what was reported.

The state government in   a press statement issued yesterday, admitted  that only one person had died.

The  state  Ministry of Health, while tracing the source of the disease to poor level of hygiene added that it had moved to stem the outbreak in two communities in the state

The State Commissioner  for Health  Dr. Olaokun Soyinka  who confirmed the incident also named Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South council areas as being sources of the outbreak ”with poor sanitation, particularly faecal waste management.”

Soyinka  said,  “there was a sudden upsurge in cases of gastroenteritis in some communities in Abeokuta, first noted on Friday, July 5.


By DAUD  OLATUNJI
curled from Vanguard

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