38 die of cholera in Enugu, Ebonyi

No fewer than 10 persons may have died following the outbreak of Cholera in Enugu State. The Guardian gathered that the deaths occurred in one of the communities in Nkanu East Local Council of the state that shares a boundary with Ebonyi State.

Sources said that the deaths might have resulted from the consumption of water from a contaminated river passing through the area from Ebonyi State.

A memo, signed by the Enugu State Director of Medical Services, Samuel Egwuonwu, on behalf of the Commissioner for Health, stated: “I am directed to inform all about the outbreak of Cholera in Enugu State. Several cases have been recorded, and it is feared that approximately 10 individuals may have died.”

The statement further advised healthcare providers to be on high alert for patients with symptoms, such as severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. It also urged them to enhance Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures in their facilities and report cases promptly.

Also, Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, has said that Cholera outbreak that ravaged the state since September 24, 2024, had recorded 28 deaths out of 386 cases.

Ekuma disclosed this, yesterday, during the donation of medical commodities by the governor’s wife, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, to the General Hospital in Iboko, Izzi Local Council of the state, noting that about six treatment centres have been designated across the state to tackle the menace.

The commissioner said that most deaths occurred at home before the emergency response team and the ministry got informed, adding that no death has been recorded after the intervention of government and development partners.

He noted that the state combined both human and material resources to fight the disease courtesy of the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, and assured that the cholera outbreak has been brought under control.

The commissioner attributed cholera outbreak to contaminated water, poor sanitation, and improper disposal of refuse, among other factors.