Plateau government has announced that no fewer than 17 persons have died so far from the cholera outbreak in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Lar, gave the update in Jos, the Nation reports.

According to him, out of the 1,004 suspected cases recorded in the state, 980 patients have been discharged while seven others are receiving treatment in various hospitals.

The breakdown of the affected local government areas are Jos North, Jos South, Riyom, Kanam, Bokkos, Wase, Mangu, Bassa, Jos East, Barkin Ladi, Qua’anpan, Langtang North, and Shendam.

Lar, who expressed the commitment of the government to stop the spread of the disease, advised residents to imbibe hand washing to avoid the spread of the disease.

“As a government, we are not relenting in our efforts to address the problem but we also want to appeal to the public to always maintain good sanitation and shun indiscriminate dumping of waste, which causes waste to be washed into various water sources and bodies, especially during this rainy season, because this also forms part of the solution when practised by the people,” the Commissioner noted.