From Linus Oota , Lafia

Four persons have been confirmed dead and 38 others infected by fresh cholera outbreak in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

A statement by the Public Relation Officer (PRO) state Ministry of Health, Musa Abdullahi, made available to our correspondent yesterday, in Lafia, said cholera outbreak was in Shege Ward in Toto LGA where 38 cases were confirmed and four died before reaching the primary health care facility.

Abdullahi said some of the affected victims have been stabilised and were responding to treatment, adding that a team of health experts from the state ministry had also donated drugs to the Shege community to checkmate the spread of the disease.

Donating the drugs to the community, state Commissioner of Health, Dr Daniel Iya, who was represented by state Director of Public Health, Dr Ibrahim Adamu Alhassan, said the donation of the drug was part of the state government’s intervention to curb further spread of the cholera in the state.

Dr Alhassan, who led a rapid response and investigation team from ministry of health to the community, explained that the team was in Shege Ward to halt further spread of the disease to other parts of the community and to treat those infected.

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He noted that part of the team’s assignment was to support the community health workers in the area to improve their skills and sensitise them on how to response to further cholera outbreak.

He charged the community health workers to intensify their surveillance activities and provide information on sanitation, personal hygiene and food preparation practices.

The team leader called on the community to observe personal and family hygiene such as proper and regular washing of hands, appropriate disposal of sewage and other waste, boiling and treating water before drinking, among others.

Responding, Interim Management Committee Chairman of Toto LGA, Adamu Dauda Nuhu and village head of Shege, Alkali Adunga, thanked Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for his quick response to plight of their people.

The village head also appealed to the state government to provide a motorised borehole to curb the spread of water borne diseases as it posed a great challenge to the community.