Following the cholera outbreak in the communities surrounding Eti Osa, Lagos Island, lkorodu, and Kosofe LGA of Lagos State, at least five people are reported to have died.
It is also reported that the highly contagious disease outbreak has hospitalized 60 people.
Prof. Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, made this revelation in response to state surveillance reports. He said that the state government has called for increased vigilance and the implementation of preventive measures to stop the spread of a potential cholera outbreak in the state.
According to him, the outbreak led to roughly 60 hospital admissions and five recorded deaths, the majority of which were caused by patients who arrived late and were severely dehydrated.
“A heightened state-wide surveillance and response has been initiated.
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Ministry of Health Directorate of Environmental Health have been notified to look into a potential source of water contamination in the Lekki Victoria Island area.
We suspect a possible cholera outbreak; however, samples have been taken for confirmation. As of April 28, 2024, Nigeria reported 815 suspected cholera cases and 14 deaths across 25 states,” he said.
The Commissioner stated that Lagos State has experienced a noticeable rise in cases of severe vomiting and watery stools since the recent rains, and that crowded, urban slums with inadequate sanitation are especially vulnerable.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
