No fewer than 35 people are feared dead following the outbreak of cholera in Benue state, Blueprint learnt yesterday.
This is in addition to the over 200 persons affected by the epidemic in the recent outbreak of the disease across some hospitals in the state.
A health official who would not want his name in print, told our correspondent in Makurdi that they could not immediately ascertain that it was cholera that had hit the town, until last weekend when there was a surge in reported cases of the disease.
The Commissioner for Health, Orduen Abunku, told newsmen that he could not confirm the figures, but said his team had visited about seven hospitals which held cholera patients and confirmed six dead.
He said the federal, state and local governments, as well as UNICEF, were giving contributions to arrest the situation, adding that they were also giving enlightenment programmes to residents of Wadata, that is worst hit by the epidemic.
Meanwhile, the Matron, Hope hospital, Wadata, Agatha Nyiatagher, said the clinic had received over 20 cases of cholera since the outbreak, adding that no less than two persons died.
At Jolua Hospital, also in Wadata, two persons were confirmed dead yesterday even as the doctor in charge, Victor Edoh, said 90 per cent of the admitted patients were suffering from cholera.
Though it was also gathered that scores of reported cases of cholera were also reported at Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) as well as Madonna Hospital, Makurdi, when our correspondent visited BSUTH, the authorities were not forthcoming over the incident.
However, an inside source confided in our correspondent that at least 32 persons had been admitted for cases that had similar symptoms with cholera.