TheCable

About 3o people have died of cholera in Jigawa state.

According to Salisu Mu’azu, permanent secretary of the Jigawa ministry of health, more than 2000 people suffering from the infection have been hospitalised in the state within two months.

Mu’azu said most of the cases were children and were recorded in nine local government areas of the state.

He listed Hadejia, Dutse, Kirikasamma, Birnin Kudu and Ringim as some of the areas worst hit by the outbreak.

He said of the 2,000 cases, some had been discharged while others are still receiving free medical treatment in government hospitals.

The permanent secretary said the Hadejia case could be linked to water pollution.

He said there was possibility of water contamination from an area where people practised open defecation near the water vendors who collect and circulate water to residents of Hadejia town.

Mu’azu said the state government was on top of the situation and has been providing necessary assistance to the residents in the affected areas.

He added that the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had supplied some medications and promised to send more soonest.

Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), had said six states reported 1,786 suspected cases of cholera between June 20 and 26.

He listed the states as Bauchi, 1,239 cases; Kano, 362 cases; Niger, 62 cases; Zamfara, 55 cases; Kaduna, 59 cases, and Plateau, nine cases.