…The outbreak of the disease killed 55 People
Even though Cholera has claimed the lives of about 55 people in Adamawa State, the state has declared end to cholera outbreak after finding no suspected case despite weeks of ‘heightened’ surveillance. The declaration was made yesterday by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Professor Isa Abdulahi while addressing newsmen at his office in Yola.
Abdulahi said the disease came to an end after it had affected 1,959 people and resulted in 55 deaths. He recalled that cholera outbreak was declared in July last year, and that in the succeeding months, there occurred the total of 1,959 suspected cholera cases. He also announced the closure of cholera outbreak during the press briefing with newsmen.
“Since we have not recorded any case despite heightened surveillance for cholera for several weeks, we (government and partners) are happy to declare the cholera outbreak over. Since the beginning of the outbreak, a total of 1,959 suspected cases with 55 deaths were recorded.” he said.
The commissioner cautioned, however, that the declaration of end of cholera does not suggest a time to relax. “It is a window of opportunity to heighten our preparedness against cholera and other vaccines preventable diseases,” he said.
Abdullahi thanked the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Rescue Committee (IRC), International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and other organisations that collaborated with the state government in managing cholera from when it broke out in July last year to now to keep both infections and fatalities as low as it could be helped.
“The state and development partners ensured adequate risk communication messages to aid prevention of the disease. Reporting and referral were widely circulated. Cholera treatment centres were set up in Specialist Hospital Yola while general hospitals and cottage hospitals as well as some primary health care centres were utilised as cholera treatment centres,” the commissioner said.
