Via Vanguard: Cholera: FG confirms 86 deaths from 1,623 cases in 6 states. Excerpt:
ABUJA—The Federal Ministry of Health yesterday confirmed that 86 deaths have been recorded from 1,623 cholera cases in six states of the federation just as all federal health facilities nationwide have been directed to provide free treatment to cholera patients.
A statement issued in Abuja by the apex Health Ministry, identified Zamfara State in the North-West as the most affected state with 51 deaths out of 1,110 cases. It is followed by Nasarawa State with nine deaths out of 105 cases.
Giving an update on the outbreak of the disease in the country, Minster of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu listed other affected States to include Plateau State: 11 deaths from 130 cases; Lagos State: four deaths from 134 cases; Oyo State: six deaths from 29 cases and Ogun State with five deaths from 115 cases.
Chukwu, who explained the current estimate of the patterns of distribution of the outbreaks across the country, noted: “These are estimates, because trickles of incidences and mortalities may still be coming. However, in Sokoto and Katsina states, the gastro-enteritis outbreaks have not been proven to be cholera. While further investigations continue, only confirmed cases are included in the current statistics.
“The outbreak in the states mentioned earlier has been confirmed by our laboratories to be caused by Vibrio cholerae serotypes 01 and 0139,” the Minister remarked.
