No fewer than 20 persons have died as a result of an outbreak of Cholera in Bauchi State.

The Commissioner of Health in the state, Dr Aliyu Maigoro, disclosed this at a press conference held at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Bauchi on Tuesday, PUNCH reports.

Maigoro stated 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 said, “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 Somalia 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 cholera.

“Bauchi recorded 147 cases with nine deaths, Toro 58 cases with three deaths, Ningi 51 cases also with three deaths, Misau had 31 cases with four deaths, Giade recorded 10 cases with one death, Ganjuwa seven cases with no death, Shira and Darazo recorded one case each with no deaths while Warji had 16 cases with no deaths.

“This brings the total of confirmed cases to 322 with 20 deaths and 6.2 per cent death rate,” he stated.

Maigoro said that four cholera treatment units have been activated in Bauchi metropolis at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, Urban Maternity and Primary Health Center, Kandahar.

He said that isolation centres have been set up in all General Hospitals of the affected LGAs, activation of the State Public Health Emergency Operation Center, provision of drugs and consumables to all the isolation sites on the state and chlorination of wells and decontamination of households in the affected LGAs.

He further said that a cholera treatment centre had been set up at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital to centralise case management and to mobilise doctors, nurses and other paramedics to provide care to the victims.

The Commissioner advised residents to be more careful with their source of drinking water pointing out that the Risk Community Team is working with the community and religious leaders to educate people on the need for them to boil their water properly before drinking.