By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
Three people have been reported dead, while over 100 people have been confirmed to have been infected by cholera due to outbreak of the disease at the Internally Displace Persons (IDPs) camp in Biu, the headquarters of Biu local government area of Borno state, yesterday.
Our correspondent gathered over 100 IDPs had been affected by the epidemic at the Government Girls Secondary School IDPs camp in Biu where officials of the Ministry of Health, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Red Cross Society of Nigeria and other stakeholders were battling to control the outbreak.
Sources at the camp told journalists on phone in Maiduguri on phone that over 100 IDPs have so far been infected with the epidemic at the camp while three people have lost their lives as a result of the outbreak.
The sources added that two men and one woman died, while officials at the camp were rendering treatment to those affected bit they were separated from other IDPs in order not to allow the disease spread round at the camp or affect others.
The sources said: “The two men and one woman died as a result of the cholera outbreak at the Government Girls Secondary School, Biu, camp where over 100 people were also said have been infected by the disease. The camp officials are doing their best to treat them, while those with serious cases are being referred to Biu General Hospital for treatment.”
When journalists in Maiduguri contacted the state secretary of the Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Zannah Barma, on phone, he said: “I m just hearing that but I would get our officials who are in the camp for details and confirmation. But I would advise you to call the Ministry of Health, as they are the only officials to confirm that now officially to you.”
Efforts to get the Borno state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Salam Anas Kolo, on phone due to the ban on movement of vehicles within the metropolis for three days by security agencies for confirmation did not yield positive result, as her phone was not reachable at the time of filing in this report.
