Cholera outbreak kills 24 in Bayelsa

No fewer than 24 persons have died in Bayelsa State, following the outbreak of cholera disease in 30 communities across the state.

Newsmen gathered that about 200 cases were recorded with Southern Ijaw Local Government Area being the most affected.

Dr Pabara Newton-Igwele, the Commissioner for Health, who confirmed the incident, said the state government deployed its Rapid Response Team (RRT) to prevent the spread of the cholera disease.

According to him, the government in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) had also adopted some measures to save lives.

Newton-Igwele said, “Some of the measures include the decentralisation of the RRT in the local government areas since last October; distribution of commodities for the containment of the outbreak; ongoing search to identity active cases and the provision of oral cholera vaccines for the vaccination of people in the affected areas.”

He also stated people within the identified 30 communities had been vaccinated through a partnership between the state government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

He further said an awareness campaign and risk communication teams had also been put in place to assist in proper information management.

Newton-Igwele noted that his ministry had also announced the setting up of an emergency operations centre for the cholera outbreak.

He called on residents not to panic as the government was on top of the situation.