NO CHOLERA DEATH IN EBONYI— COMMISSIONER FOR HEALTH

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

Ebonyi State Hovernment says no death was recorded in the state on the account of cholera outbreak.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, gave the clarification against the backdrop of widely circulated report that about nine persons died in Ikwo Local Government Area as a result of cholera outbreak.

Briefing journalists in Abakaliki after a visit to the area alongside representatives of World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners, Dr. Umezuruike emphasised that the news of nine persons said to have died of cholera in the area was fake news.

“We saw the four people suspected of having the sickness and, following a comprehensive medical examination, found no evidence of the disease.

“One claimed she defecated on November 26th in the morning, hasn’t defecated since, and it wasn’t watery.

“The other people were sent to a local hospital, with one of them displaying signs of pregnancy.

“Another indicated he’d been in the facility since Nov. 24, while one was said to have been discharged,” the Health Commissioner said.

Dr. Umezuruike said Rapid Diagnostic Test conducted on four patients, who claimed to be stooling and vomiting at a Primary Health Centre and a Chemist shop, all turned out to be negative.

“We carried out rapid diagnostic tests and all tested samples turned negative and also forwarded collected samples to the reference laboratory in Abuja,” he said.

Radio Nigeria gathered that a Personal Assistant to Ikwo Local Government Chairman had in a statement issued to journalists said nine persons died of cholera in some communities in Ikwo Local Government Area.