By Roland Ike
The Ebonyi state government has confirmed that one out of the 13 cases of the cholera outbreak recorded in Izzi Local Government Area was in Gov. Francis Nwifuru’s community, Oferekpe.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, made the disclosure on Sunday while addressing newsmen, noting that no other fatality has been reported in the community.
Ekuma said that the victim, a woman, attended a burial at her birth place, Ndiboko Otteh—Ezza Inyimegu, a neighbouring community which was ravaged by the disease.
“The woman returned to Oferekpe and started showing symptoms of the disease.
“The Rapid Response Team swiftly attended to her and curtailed the disease from spreading.
“There has been no fatality in the affected areas within the last 24 hours and the survivors are responding well to treatment.”
The Commissioner urged the public not to be deceived by the number of fatalities trending on the social media as people attribute most deaths within this period, to cholera.
“We analysed the deaths recorded within this period and determined the actual ones caused by cholera.
“It is instructive to note that the fatalities occurred due to late report of the cases and before our intervention.
“Cholera has a swift fatality period as the victims whose cases were reported within our intervention survived.”
He urged the public not to panic but believe in the government’s ability to contain the situation.
“We are collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organisation, (WHO) Doctors Without Borders, among other agencies to check the disease.
“The citizens should practice safe health practices such as drinking clean water, eating uncontaminated food, covering of food, reporting suspected cases early, among others.
“Contaminated water is a major source of infection as the leadership of affected areas have stepped efforts to provide portable drinking for the people.”
The State Epidemiologist, Dr Ogbonna Nwambeke urged the people not to sensationalise reports concerning the outbreak due to its delicate nature.
“People disseminate false reports of the outbreak as if they reside in the affected communities.
“We established treatment centres in the affected communities and can give verifiable information concerning the outbreak.”
