Cholera Claims 15 Lives as Katsina Records 132 Cases

Francis Sardauna

Cholera outbreak has reportedly killed 15 persons in six local government areas of Katsina State within four days.

Sources at the affected local governments who confirmed the outbreak, said aside the 15 persons that died, 132 new cases were recorded between June 29 and July 2, 2018.

THISDAY gathered that nine out of the 15 persons, mostly children died in Funtua Local Government Area (LGA), while six died in Kusada LGA of the state.

But the state Commissioner of Health, Mariatu Bala Usman, in a chat with THISDAY yesterday, said six persons died in Kusada and 58 cases were recorded in six LGAs.

“We have cases of cholera in Kusada and other five local government areas of Katsina. We have reports that this particular outbreak has come from the people taking contaminated water and vegetables. So I am appealing to citizens of the state, particularly those at the community level to desist from taking contaminated water,” she said.

The commissioner further disclosed that the state government has put mechanism in motion to tackle the outbreak, adding that the Ministry of Health has procured drugs for the treatment of the patients free.

Similarly, member representing Funtua at the state Assembly, honourable Abubakar Muhammad, during the plenary yesterday, urged relevant authority to come to rescue of his constituents.

“Considering the outbreak of cholera in my constituent, I urge my colleagues to invite the concern agency to provide assistance to the people of my constituency”, Muhammad said.

The affected local government areas as at the time of filing this report were Funtua, Kusada, Kaita, Ingawa, Kankia and Katsina.