At least 20 persons have died in a recent cholera outbreak that has affected 10 communities in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was gathered that some indigenes of the area, who had been vomiting and stooling for the past one week, were rushed to the nearest clinics in the area.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, who learnt of the outbreak on Wednesday, ordered an immediate supply of potable water to the affected communities in the area.
Confirming that the disease has claimed 20 lives, Parker gave the directive on Wednesday after visiting some of those affected by the cholera outbreak.
He disclosed that 170 patients were still receiving treatment, adding that officials of the World Health Organisation and the Federal Ministry of Health have arrived at the affected communities to assist victims.
The Health commissioner disclosed that the local government area Rapid Response Team and the State Emergency Response team were also on the ground to tackle the health challenge in the area, adding that two treatment centres had been set up in Ebukuma and Okolile communities.
Parker, however, told the people of the area that the situation was under control, promising that boreholes would be sunk in the area as part of measures to combat the spread of the disease.
Also, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Mr. Emmanue Okot, said the cholera outbreak, which began in November last year, affected 10 communities in the area.
Okot explained that the local government had tackled the disease, expressing surprise that it (cholera) spread to other communities in January 2015.
“It involves about 10 communities and immediately we got the information, we swung into action. The disease did not just start this January, It started in the later part of last year and we went to the area concerned, handled it and everything ended.
“Later on, the thing (cholera) moved to other communities. Actually, it started around Nwiyata axis and up to Ndema area. We handled it early and everything subsided. Then around December (2014), it now started at Ukwa, then it moved to Nyandela,” he said.
Disclosing that many of the victims of the cholera outbreak in the area were mostly children, Okot called on the state and federal governments, donor agencies and relevant non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the local government area.
The council chairman expressed gratitude to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, for distributing relief materials to those affected by the cholera outbreak. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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