The fatality figure for the cholera outbreak in Katsina State has risen from the sixty cases recorded earlier in the month to 75, as at August 8, according to the State Ministry of Health.
The Commissioner for Health, Yakubu Nuhu Danja, who briefed the press on Tuesday, said that a total of 1,534 cases were recorded across 25 out of the 34 Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, Funtua Local Government Area has recoded the highest 384 cases, followed by Sabuwa Local Government Area with 232 cases and Kafur Local Government Area with 215 cases.
‘Sixty-seven per cent of the reported cases are aged 15 years while three cases were reported for under one-year-old and of all the reported suspected cases, 53 per cent are male,’ the commissioner said.
He said that medical supply kits and other consumables had been distributed to the affected communities for management of the disease.
Danja noted however that the insecurity situation in parts of the state has tended to hinder access to certain areas for contact search and tracing.
‘Cholera is an acute diarrhea illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacteria vibro cholerae,’ he said.
‘The infection is often mild or without symptoms but can be severe and cholera bacteria are passed through faeces and a person becomes infected if they eat or drink water contaminated by the fasces of an infected person.’
