Cholera Outbreak: Death Toll Hits 47 in Katsina

By Francis Sardauna in Katsina

At least 18 people were feared dead in Charanchi Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State and 24 others currently hospitalised following suspected outbreak of cholera which has claimed 47 lives so far.

The scourge had earlier claimed 29 lives in about 181 cases recorded in Funtua, Kusada, Kaita, Ingawa, Katsina and Kankia council areas of the state.

The recent outbreak, which occurred last Saturday, had caused panic among residents in the affected communities.

Other villages affected by the deadly outbreak in Charanchi Local Government Area include Malole and Manye where eight persons tested positive and are responding to treatment at the Comprehensive Healthcare Clinic in Charanchi.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Charanchi LGA, Yusuf Abubakar Radda, who confirmed the outbreak to journalists in a statement made available in Katsina yesterday night, however, said the council has procured medication to support the patients.

Radda reaffirmed that the officials of the state Ministry of Health and the state Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) were still making efforts to curtail the spread of the disease in the 34 local government areas of the state.

He said: “We have provided drugs to the victims. Those who are in the hospital are responding to treatment. Arrangements are in pipeline to ensure that those receiving treatment survive. Therefore, I am calling on the state government to come to our rescue.”

He called on the state government under the leadership of Governor Aminu Bello Masari and other relevant authorities to come to the aid of the local government area by providing additional vaccines, considering the devastating effect of the disease.

The caretaker committee chairman further admonished residents to embrace personal hygiene in order to avert future occurrence of the incident.

All efforts made by THISDAY to reach the dtate Commissioner for Health, Mariatu Bala Usman, as of press time, proved abortive as phone calls put across her phone line were unanswered.