Death toll from cholera outbreak in Ogun now 5

The death toll as a result of a cholera outbreak, in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital has risen to five and includes a four-month-old baby and 33-year-old pregnant woman.

Dr Ayinde Akinsanya, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health in Ogun State, disclosed this on Friday, during a press briefing in Abeokuta.

He said so far, the number of the reported cases has risen to 12 and five persons in Abule-Otun in the Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state have lost their lives to the outbreak.

Addressing newsmen on the outbreak, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of health said, the baby died at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, while others did not go to any health facility in the state.

He said the other seven cases have been hospitalized at the state hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta.

Akinsanya said, “On 21 November, 2019, the state Epidemiology unit received a report of a laboratory-confirmed case of cholera from the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.

“The case index is a 33-year-old pregnant woman who presented at FMC on referral on the 19 November from a private facility. She resides in Abule-Otun, Lafenwa, Abeokuta, but, trades at Kuto market.

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“Prior to the onset of symptoms, she ate rice purchased from a food vendor with sachet water at Kuto market. There have been prior reported suspected cases of cholera linked to Kuto market, but, could not be confirmed because they had commenced antibiotics.”

He added “A total of 12 cases (index case inclusive) have been line-listed. Eight reported from health facilities and four picked in the communities from retrospective case search.

“One death from cases reported in the health facilities and four other deaths in the community that were never reported at the health facility, but, from information gathered during investigation.”

Speaking on the action taken by the ministry, Akinsanya said a thorough investigation has commenced in the affected communities to control the outbreak with government’s plan to screen local sources of water in the communities, and a conduct of active case search in all health facilities, pharmacy, outlets and patent medicine vendorsto break transmission of the disease.

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