14 die of cholera in Borno, 200 cases treated

Borno state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia has confirmed the death of 14 persons from acute cholera and diarrhea cases in 13 local government areas of the state. He said over 200 cases of AWD have so far been treated and discharged at the emergency cholera treatment centers established at strategic areas to control the diseases. Briefing journalists yesterday at the Borno State Public Health Emergency Center located along Damboa road Maiduguri, Dr Mshelia added that although the 14 deaths were reported, not all the cases reported were from cholera or acute water diarrhea. He said the death could be from other cases outside acute water diarrhea or cholera as autopsy was not conducted on the dead persons. The commissioner noted that 8 cases were forwarded for test to the national laboratory health center in Abuja last week and were later confirmed to be positive while rapid treatment centers and team of experts from the state Ministry if Health and other health partners, including WHO were going round places to monitor and respond instantly to all suspected cases that might be reported from the communities. He explained that areas worst hit in the Maiduguri metropolis included Madinatu, Old Maiduguri, Bolori and few others as well as Chibok LGA while cases of acute water diarrhea that were reported had increased from 10 LGAs to 13 LGAs. He called in the journalists to disseminate the health guide and water sanitation campaigns and advocacy to the people through their media to educate the public on the danger posed by the faulty environment and lack of hygiene during the eight weeks heavy rainfall. Dr. Mshelia assured that the situation would soon be brought under control to end the epidemic through improved water supply system at the IDPs camp and host communities, through communication and social mobilization to activate full scale surveillance and conduct rapid responses to all cases by NGOs and other partners that established cholera treatment hospitals and centers across the state.