A cholera outbreak in Bayelsa, Nigeria has hit the state with 29 confirmed deaths on Friday. The initial count on Tuesday was 23 but after just a few days, six more people succumbed to the disease.
The outbreak was claimed to have started during the holidays in Igbomotoru II, also in Southern Ijaw area where it killed 13 people as reported by All Africa.
A community official, who opted to have his identity hidden from the public, confirmed the death of two victims on Tuesday and added that many others are infected with the disease.
"Some persons brought purifiers for us this afternoon but we hear that our neighbors, Enewari and Angiama communities, are also suffering from the cholera," said the source. The health scare has reached far flung communities causing widespread panic because they do not have any health care facility there, better yet, potable water to drink.
Another health officer said that the disease was caused by vibrio cholera bacterium which can be contracted through drinking contaminated water and food. Classic manifestations of cholera are vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration which eventually cause death if left untreated.
According to a report by the World Health Organization, cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that can kill patients within hours if left untreated. Each year, there is an estimated 3 to 5 million cases of cholera and around 100,000 to 120,000 deaths caused by cholera. It usually stems out from inadequate and faulty environmental management. Contaminated water and surroundings in sub-urban communities are the culprits to the emergence of this disease.
There are oral vaccines available for the prevention of this disease. But the best prevention method is to keep the surroundings clean and to have a reliable potable water to drink. Also, oral rehydration salts play a major role in the treatment for cholera. In fact, 80% of cases recover due to intake of oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration.