Cholera outbreak: Seven lives lost in Delta, but situation under control, says Onojaeme ~ Truth Reporters

By Andy Emephia.

Despite the ravaging nation wide cholera disease that has claimed seven lives in the Warri South west axis of Delta, the state government has been able to put the situation under control.

Disclosing this at a press conference in Asaba, the Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, listed high risk local governments to include the three Warri's  Ughelli South, Ugheli north, Parani, Bomadi and Burutu local government areas.

The Health Commissioner disclosed that 138 cases in Warri South West where the outbreak first occurred,  while seven were recorded in Bomadi and one in Oshimili South , in the second and third outbreaks, respectively.

Dr Onojaeme who said Cholera is mainly a disease of poor sanitary environment , added that so far , the casualties have mostly been young children.

He said the symptoms are basically passage of watery stool, dehydration,  electrolyte imbalance, among others

Onojaeme said so far his ministry has been able to curtail the spread in the high risk local government areas , while the Epidemiological unit has stepped up surveillance on the affected patients.

He therefore advocated that maintaining strict hygiene is key to avoiding the cholera scourge.

Adding that cholera has a incubation stage of 12 days , the health Comissioner said someone without the symptoms can spread it through faeces and urine to other persons.

The press briefing which had in attendance , the State Commissioner for lnformation, Mr lfeanyi Osuoza , and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon , took place at the Conference hall of the Ministry of lnformation, Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat Complex.