Dr Nimkong Ndam, the Commissioner for Health in Plateau State, has said the state has 21 reported cases of cholera and two deaths from the disease in the state.
Ndam said this on Thursday in Jos. He explained that 30 suspected cases were tested, and 17 persons were confirmed to have cholera from the rapid diagnostic test, while four persons were confirmed to have cholera by the culture test, amounting to 21 cases.
He added that the confirmed cases had been treated and discharged already. The commissioner said cholera is an acute diarrhea infection, caused by a bacterium called Vibro cholera, which is usually found in food or water contaminated by feces (fecal) and when such is ingested, causes cholera.
He called on the public to ensure that they always wash their fruits and vegetables thoroughly and also boil their drinking water, to kill the organism that causes cholera.
He advised people to imbibe the act of handwashing and sanitizing their hands where water is not available, to avoid the spread of the disease.
Ndam appealed to the public to always maintain good sanitation and shun indiscriminate dumping of waste.
“This action causes the waste to be washed into various water sources and bodies, especially, with the rains setting in.”
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