‘Over 20 killed’ in suspected cholera outbreak in Cross River community

Over 20 persons have reportedly died after a suspected cholera outbreak in 10 villages in Ekeureku community in Abi LGA of Cross River.

According to NAN, Iwara Iwara, permanent secretary of the ministry of health in the state, said the suspected cholera outbreak started across the villages on Thursday.

Iwara, who did not give an exact figure of deaths, said the government has initiated a health response team to prevent the situation from spreading to communities sharing borders with Ebonyi.

Speaking on the outbreak, a village head who preferred to be anonymous, said some residents experienced dehydration and diarrhoea.

The village head said the residents associated the initial symptoms of the disease as part of the effects of the dry season.

“We discovered that this time, the disease was spreading very fast and was killing affected persons within a few minutes of passing out watery stool,” NAN quoted the village head as saying.

“As at Saturday, more than 20 persons have died because of suspected cholera across the 10 villages.”

The 10 villages are listed as Agbara, Ngarabe, Ekureku-be, Akpoha, Akare-for, Anong, Emenekpon, Etegevel, Egboronyi, and Emegeh.

The development comes weeks after the Gombe state government announced that 10 deaths have been recorded following cases of cholera across LGAs of the state.