Borno begins immunisation as cholera death toll hits 44

The death toll in the cholera outbreak in Borno State has hit 44.The stateís Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, disclosed this at a joint press conference by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the state Ministry of Health at the Emergency Operation Centre, Maiduguri.

The state government has also announced that it would today begin immunisation against the disease.According to him, over 915, 000 doses of cholera vaccines have been procured and delivered for distribution to commence the process.

The worst hit in the outbreak is Maiduguri metropolis and four council areas in Jere, Konduga, Dikwa and Monguno.The commissioner added that the deaths were recorded from 1, 925 cases.

He said: From the cholera update situation in the state, we had 1, 113 cases in Maiduguri (MMC) and Jere, 561 in Dikwa, while Monguno had 231 cases
with two deaths.

He added that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and communities were mostly affected in what he called ìcholera hot spots.He said the lack of portable water and sanitary infrastructure facilities for toilets and latrines made the disease to be higher in those places.

Mshella explained that besides the construction of pit latrines in camps, purification water tablets and re-hydration solution were being distributed to various camps and other affected communities.He urged parents and guardians in the affected areas to release their children and wards for the vaccination.