Kano State records 11,475 cholera cases, 329 deaths – Official

Kano State has so far recorded no fewer than 11,475 suspected cholera cases from March to date with the death of 329 people.

The Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) of the state, Mr Sulaiman Iliyasu, disclosed this at a media sensitisation on COVID-19 pandemic and Cholera outbreak on Wednesday in Kano.

He said that the cases were reported across the 44 local government areas of the state.

Iliyasu said out of the number, 11,115 cases had fully recovered, while 329 people had died.

He revealed that 31 cases were still receiving treatment from three local government areas of the state as of Sept. 21.

The officer said that Kano was second in the country with highest number of the cases.

According to him, Sumaila Local Government Area has the highest number of cases with more than 2,000 cases.

He said that Bichi and Gwarzo, were second and third in the prevalence, while Kunchi and Dala local governments had the least number of the cases.

“Kano State has the population of more than 15.3 million, the attack rate is 0.074 per cent,” he said.

Iliyasu said that the state government had distributed drugs to contain the spread of the disease.

He said the government had established cholera treatment centres, intensified social mobilisation, community awareness and chlorination of water points all as part of measures to check the disease.

He revealed that poor personal hygiene and environmental sanitation as well as taking unhygienic food and drinking contaminated water, were responsible for the outbreak.

On the COVID-19 pandemic, the state Director, Public Health and Disease Control, Dr Ashir Rajab, said that more than 98,000 samples had been taken for laboratory tests.

Rajab said that about 4,000 cases were confirmed positive, while 3,900 cases had been discharged and about 119 persons died as a result of the disease.

He revealed that the state had enough vaccines in all the 44 local government areas of the state.

Rajab urged the media to intensify efforts in enlightening people on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and continue adhering to the experts’ guidelines and protocols.

In his contribution, Mr Ogu Enemaku of UNICEF urged the media to intensify partnership with the government to contain the diseases outbreak.

He also urged people to desist from the practice of defecation and ensure good personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.

Enemaku urged people to come out en masse to be immunised against COVID-19.