The Ministry of Health in Lakes State has confirmed that a cholera outbreak in areas of Yirol West and Yirol East counties has killed 2 people as of last weekend.
Maker Malok, the Director General of Health, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that they have formed three teams of health workers to respond to cholera emergencies in far-flung areas of the affected counties to avoid the spread of the outbreak.
The development comes after 12 people, 3 from Abang Payam of Yirol West and 9 others from Lang-matot village of Yirol East, developed severe diarrhea and vomiting on Friday.
Among the 12 however, a 26-year-old Ichut Maker from Abang Payam died the same Friday, and on Saturday, a 5-year-old child from land-matot also died.
According to the health official, blood and stool samples collected from the victims were tested in the lab and turned out positive for the cholera bacteria.
“The three teams of seven health specialists each, have been equipped and stationed in isolated centers in Abang Payam, Adior Payam, and Yirol State Hospital to contain cases to protect other people,” Malok stated.
He urged the general public to practice proper hygiene, including regular handwashing with detergents, boiling drinking water,r and eating hot food, to avoid infection.
“The remaining people that were rescued are getting better under the care of the health specialists in those isolated centers,” Malok said. “I am telling the relatives of the victims to make sure they protect themselves by ensuring that the sick eat and drink from separate utensils to avoid getting infected.”