Breaking News: 7 die of cholera in Ebonyi

Seven persons were weekend confirmed dead in three communities in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Addressing newsmen in Abakaliki after distributing relief materials worth over N400,000 to the affected communities in the area, the House of Representatives member, representing Ezza

North/Ishielu federal constituency, Anayo Nwonu, expressed dissatisfaction with the outbreak.
According to him, the intervention carried out by his office is meant to mitigate the impact of the outbreak on the people. He advised the people of the area to desist from living in dirty environment and adhere strictly to sanitation laws and regulations.

Reacting to the development, one of the medical doctors mobilized to tackle the outbreak, Dr. John Nweze, of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, listed Eka, Umuzekoha, Umuezoka and Oriuzor as communities affected by the outbreak.

“It cuts across people of all ages.  So far, a woman of child bearing age is among the dead; a young boy of about 13 years is among the dead and a child of 8 years was also among the dead.
Those that were rushed to the hospital for treatment before we left the area were elderly men between the ages of 50 and 60; these victims though alive, were in critical condition,’’ he said.
Similarly,  the member representing Ezza North West constituency in the state House of Assembly, Victor Nwite, called on the state Ministry of Health to expedite action towards ridding the state of the deadly disease.

Nwite further charged the ministry to immediately carry out sensitization programmes in communities across the state, so that enlightenment about the disease and its prevention could be properly disseminated.
Government sources disclosed that the death toll had risen to ten persons in five communities of Ezza North Local Government Area, including Ozibo village in Ebonyi L.G.A .
About 20 other victims of the disease are receiving treatment in varous hospitals across the affected LGA.


Recall that about 30 persons have so far been reported to have died of cholera in Ebonyi State since February  when the first outbreak was recorded at Edomia village in Ebonyi L.G.A .
According to the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, the state government has ordered the relevant environmental agencies to immediately deploy their workers to ensure  clearance of wastes to appropriate dump sites across the state.

Source: Vanguard