Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
An outbreak of cholera in Obubra community in Cross River State has left about 60 people dead.
This has prompted residents of the community to call on the state government to urgently come to their aid. There is an increasing rate of mortality across 14 wards in the area with over 200 infected persons while over 60 deaths have been recorded.
Though the cause of the disease is yet unknown, the community reportedly depends on a river as their only source of water for cooking, bathing, washing and drinking and may have been faeces-infested which may have triggered the outbreak.
Nigeria Records 23,550 Cholera Cases, 583 Deaths
Traditional ruler of the community, the Ohorodo I of Okum Kingdom, Ovan Robert, who frowned at the epidemic, called on the government to intervene by providing them potable water to check the outbreak. The state government has visited the community to sensitise the people on the importance of maintaining proper hygiene and advised that they visit healthcare centres whenever they notice any health challenge. The commissioner for health, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, promised to ensure that adequate safe water is provided by the government as a replacement for the river source.
(leadership.ng)
