Fresh cholera outbreak kills five in Gombe

Gombe State Government on Thursday said a fresh outbreak of cholera had killed five people, while 16 others were hospitalised at the Primary Health Centre, Kembu in Balanga Local Government Area of the state.

The state Acting Epidemiologist, Dr Nuhu Bile, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria in Gombe.

Bile said that the cholera outbreak occurred in October.

He said that the State Rapid Response team alongside World Health Organisation had visited the scene immediately it received news of the incident.

According to him, 70 patients were treated and discharged, while the five people died before medical help could reach them.

He added that 16 others were being treated at the health centre for the disease.

Bile said the recent deaths had brought the number of cholera mortality to 13, while no fewer than 500 patients had been treated and discharged in the last five months.

The epidemiologist attributed the cause of the outbreak to the damaged five hand pumps in the community which forced people to seek unsafe alternative source of water.

He named some of the recently affected local governments to include Yamaltu-Deba, Funakaye Gombe with the most recent being Balanga.

(NAN)