15 Die As Cholera Surfaces in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

A cholera outbreak has reportedly killed 15 persons in six local government areas of Katsina State within four days.

Sources at the affected local governments who confirmed the outbreak, said aside the 15 persons that died, 132 new cases were recorded between June 29 to July 2, 2018.

THISDAY authoritatively gathered that nine out of the 15 persons, mostly children died in Funtua Local Government, while six died in Kusada Local Government Area of the state.

But the state Commissioner for Health, Mariatu Bala Usman, in a chat with THISDAY on Monday, said six persons died in Kusada and 58 cases were recorded in six local councils.

She said: “We have cases of cholera in Kusada and other five local government areas of Katsina. We have reports that this particular outbreak has come from the people taking contaminated water and vegetables.

So I am appealing to citizens of the state, particularly those at the community level to desist from taking contaminated water.

The commissioner further disclosed that the state government has put mechanism in place to tackle the outbreak, adding that the Ministry of Health has procured drugs for the treatment of the patients free.

Similarly, the member representing Funtua at the state Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Muhammad, during Monday plenary, urged relevant authorities to come to the rescue of his constituents.

“Considering the outbreak of cholera in my constituent, I urge my colleagues to invite the concerned agency to provide assistance to the people of my constituency,” Muhammad said.

The affected local government areas as of the time of filing this report were Funtua, Kusada, Kaita, Ingawa, Kankia and Katsina.

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