The Rivers State Government has announced suspected cases of cholera in the Ngo community in the Andoni Local Government Area but confirmed that no active cases have been recorded. The government of the South-South state has urged residents to exercise caution and visit primary healthcare facilities if they experience any health issues, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in preventing the spread of the disease(cholera).
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, released a voice note with the update, noting that the information came in response to the nationwide reports of cholera outbreaks in various states across Nigeria. She assured the public that the state’s rapid response team has been mobilized to support the local government area’s efforts to ascertain the diagnosis, manage, and contain the incident.
“Over the last couple of days, there have been nationwide reports about cholera outbreaks across some of the states in Nigeria.
Also Read: NCDC Issues Cholera Alert in Nigeria, Reports 30 Deaths and 65 Cases
“I would, therefore, like to share a brief update to the public on the status of Rivers State.
“On the 9th of June, 2024, The Rivers State Public Health Emergency Operation Centre was notified of two associated deaths in the community, with symptoms consistent with cholera, by the local government area rapid response team, led by the state disease surveillance and notification officer.
Dr. Oreh’s announcement follows a recent report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) warning of an increasing trend of cholera cases across the country as the rainy season intensifies. According to the NCDC, a total of 1,141 suspected and 65 confirmed cases of cholera with 30 deaths have been reported from 96 local government areas in 30 states between January 1 and June 11, 2024.
It bears mentioning that Cholera is a highly contagious and often fatal bacterial infection, it has recently seen an outbreak in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos State.