Cholera kills 11 persons in Ebonyi community

At least 11 persons have died from a fresh cholera outbreak in Ndibokote village, Ezza Inyimagu, in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi.

Moses Ekuma, the state’s commissioner for health, confirmed the outbreak and deaths on Thursday in a statement.

According to NAN, Ekuma said the outbreak, which was reported on September 23, had claimed the life of a nursing mother, leaving behind her nine-month-old baby.

The commissioner said about 20 other affected persons were responding to treatment in hospitals.

He commended Francis Nwifuru, the Ebonyi state governor, for approving funds for the procurement of medical commodities to tackle the outbreak.

Ekuma listed some emergency treatment centres as Iziogo health centre, Sudan Mission, Onuenyim and Ndibokote villages.

He advised people to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

“Once you start having symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting, you should rush to any of these emergency treatment centers,” he said.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), from January 1 to September 1, 2024, 7,056 suspected cholera cases, including 204 deaths, were reported from 36 states.

Of the suspected cases, age groups less than 5 years were most affected, followed by age groups 25-34 — with 53 percent male and 47 female.