Borno State is battling a severe cholera outbreak that has claimed 39 lives within 24 hours, while 272 new cases have been confirmed across 36 wards in eight local government areas.
The Incident Manager of the Public Emergency Operations Centre, Jacob Audu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Maiduguri, adding that the outbreak has spread across 138 communities within the affected councils.
Audu called on residents to adopt strict hygiene practices and other preventive measures to curb further transmission, noting that government response efforts have been strengthened to contain the situation.
He explained that authorities are working to limit the spread of the disease while intensifying surveillance and emergency response across affected areas.
Speaking separately, the Permanent Secretary of the Borno State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Shettima Maina, said the government had reactivated two emergency response centres to treat infected persons in the affected local government areas.
Maina described the illness as acute watery diarrhoea, without directly confirming it as cholera, but assured that measures had been taken to prevent further spread.
He said Governor Babagana Zulum had approved the release of funds, drugs, and medical consumables to health facilities, ensuring that patients would receive free treatment.
According to him, public health sensitisation campaigns have also been intensified across affected communities to prevent further transmission.
“We are currently conducting sensitisation campaigns and stakeholder meetings on acute watery diarrhoea and its management for local government chairmen and other stakeholders across the state,” Maina said.
Health officials further revealed that women aged 21 to 50 are the most affected group, while Old Maiduguri Ward in Maiduguri has recorded the highest number of cases so far.
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