The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Wednesday issued a public health alert to states in the country over possible outbreak of
cholera disease during the rainy season.
NCDC said 75 suspected cases of cholera were
reported from eight local government areas in four states Abia (five); Adamawa (55);
Borno (two), and Katsina (13). It however explained that none of the reported
cases was laboratory confirmed, and that no death was recorded.
The centre said the warning has become necessary
since various states in Nigeria have begun to experience high levels of
rainfall.
According to NCDC weekly report, high rainfall can
cause widespread flooding and stagnant water which can be a breeding ground for
bacteria as well as mosquitoes.
"This also leads to increased transmission of
communicable diseases such as cholera," it said.
The NCDC public health advisory also suggested some
tips on how to prevent the spread of cholera.
One of the tips suggested is that families should
ensure that water is boiled and stored in a clean and safe container before
drinking, adding that people should also ensure that the seals of bottled water
are in place before drinking.
It urged people to always wash their hands with soap
and clean running water, and to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and
clean water are not available.
NCDC advised Nigerians to ensure that their food is
well cooked before consumption, adding that they should avoid raw food such as
fruits and vegetables, except they are washed in safe water or peeled by
themselves.
Other precautionary measures proffered by the Centre
included avoidance of open defecation, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and to
ensure proper disposal of waste and frequent clearing of sewage.
"If you experience sudden watery diarrhea,
please do not self-medicate, visit a health care facility immediately and take
all sick persons with the signs or symptoms above to a health care facility
immediately,” it warned.
On how to handle cases of infection, NCDC explained
that cholera is an easily treatable disease if detected early.
According to the Centre, "Most infected people
can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration
solution (ORS) to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. The ORS solution is
available as a powder that can be reconstituted in boiled or bottled water.
Without rehydration, approximately half the people with cholera die. With
treatment, the number of fatalities drops to less than 1 percent. Severely
dehydrated people may also need intravenous fluids.”
The NCDC cholera technical working group, which includes
representatives of partner agencies, assured Nigerians of its readiness to
monitor cases and support states in improving preparedness and response.
No comments:
Post a Comment