The Ministry of Health in Lakes State has confirmed that a cholera outbreak in Yirol West and Yirol East counties has killed 2 people as of last weekend.
Maker Malok, the Director General of Health, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that they have formed three teams of health workers to respond to cholera emergencies in remote areas of the affected counties to avoid the spread of the outbreak.
The development comes after 12 people, 3 from Abang Payam in Yirol West and 9 others from Lang-matot village in Yirol East, developed severe diarrhea and vomiting on Friday.
Among the 12, a 26-year-old Ichut Maker from Abang Payam died on the same Friday, and on Saturday, a 5-year-old child from the land-food also died.
According to the health official, blood and stool samples from the victims were tested in the lab and found to be positive for the cholera bacteria.
“The three teams of seven health specialists each have been equipped and stationed in isolation centers in Abang Payam, Adior Payam and Yirol State Hospital to contain cases to protect other people,” Malok said.
He urged the public to practice proper hygiene, including regular hand washing with detergent, boiling drinking water, and eating hot food, to avoid infection.
“The remaining people who were rescued are getting better under the care of the health specialists in the isolated centers,” Malok said. “I tell the relatives of the victims to make sure they protect themselves by making sure the sick eat and drink from separate utensils to avoid getting infected.”
