Authorities of Warrap State on Thursday said over 25 people lost their lives to cholera in the state from 17 February to April, with the most recent three death cases registered in Gogrial East County.
John Akol Akol, the surveillance director at the state health told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that they have started a cholera vaccination campaign in Gogrial West County and will roll out to other counties.
“As of 17 February up to April, we have registered a total number of 1,000 cases of cholera in Gogrial West County and over 25 death cases as we speak,” he explained. “We have one cholera case in Twic County and 10 cases and 3 deaths as of Tuesday in Gogrial East County.”
Akol said that the state launched a cholera vaccination campaign targeting 390,000 people aged one year and above in Gogrial West County on Tuesday.
“The campaign will cover the six counties of the state, but priority is being given to two counties of Gogrial East and Twic,” he said. “We are still planning to secure vaccines for Gogrial East and Twic counties because we have cases there, and we are approaching the wet season, where the level of contaminated water is expected to go higher, that is why we swiftly started the program before the rains.”
Akol encouraged everyone to take vaccines, saying the vaccines have no side effects.
“The vaccine has no side effects. I took it myself and it is oral and not injectable,” he stated. “You just squeeze a few drops in your mouth and can eat what you want in just 30 minutes.”
Meanwhile, Gogrial West County Commissioner Victor Wek said the cholera outbreak has hit his area hard.
“We have a severe outbreak of cholera in Gogrial West County, and it has killed more than 15 people. Many people are now admitted to cholera treatment centers,” he said. “However, the good news is that the undersecretary of the national health ministry and officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) came yesterday (Wednesday) and vaccines are now available.”