100 dead in three weeks as cholera outbreak hits 19 Jigawa LGAs

The Jigawa government says 100 people have died in less than one month as a result of cholera outbreak in 19 out of the 27 LGAs in the state.

Salisu Mu’azu, permanent secretary in the state ministry of health, disclosed this on Wednesday to NAN in Dutse, the Jigawa capital.

Mua’zu, however, did not provide a breakdown of those affected in each of the LGAs.

The permanent secretary said a team comprising state health officials, supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) — a non-governmental organisation — are working to tackle the outbreak.

Mua’zu expressed concern that in spite of efforts by the ministry to improve service delivery in rural communities where the outbreak is most rampant, the casualty rate is still increasing.

According to NAN, the situation has become very critical in the last few days, with eight people reported to have died in Unguwar Kudu quarters, a small community in Zareku, Miga LGA.

“We recorded the death of eight people — seven females and one male, who died as a result of cholera disease,” a healthcare official in a facility in Zareku was quoted as saying.

The official added that a total of 268 people were screened in two days and 145 patients were eventually hospitalised.