Cholera Outbreak: Death Toll Rises to 18, Says UN

By Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The death toll as a result of the cholera outbreak in Borno State has risen to 18, the United Nations said yesterday.

In a statement, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) said as at last Friday a total of 680 cases of suspected cholera had been recorded in eight Local Government Areas, including 18 deaths, since the latest outbreak of the killer disease.

It lamented that this represents a fatality rate of 2.6 per cent.

The Borno State Government on September 5, 2018 had declared the outbreak of cholera in the state.

The state government had concealed the casualties as a result of the disease.

The UN agency said since the first suspected cases were recorded on August 19, 2018, the following cases have been recorded: Jere (218 cases, including two deaths);  Magumeri (156, including four deaths), Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) (141 including five deaths); Chibok (85 including three deaths); Konduga (38 including three deaths), Kaga (28, including one death), Damboa (eight) and Shani (six).

The statement said the Borno State Ministry of Health, with the support of humanitarian partners, is coordinating the response through the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC). 

It stated that coordination meetings are currently held twice a week at the EOC, and daily at LGA level.

The statement added that a 100-bed Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) is operational in Dala – a locality in MMC,  while in Magumeri LGA, a Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) has been set up in an existing health facility.

Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs) have also been set up in El-Miskin, Muna Garage and Customs House camps for internally displaced people. 

It added that additional ambulances are required in all affected LGAs to transport those seeking treatments.

The statement said: “Health organisations are carrying out risk communications, which include making regular and frequent visits to households to encourage individuals with cholera-like symptoms to be screened. By communicating at household level in this way, health partners have visited 1,163 households which resulted in the identification of 18 suspected cases of cholera.”