The Abia State Government has announced that there are no cholera cases in the state, affirming that all 109 suspected cases which had been reported in six LGAs of the state between January and June 2024 were all confirmed negative.
This declaration of sorts was made known by the Abia State Ministry of Health, for an updated report thar spanned January to June 2024, in response to the recent alert by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), about rising cholera cases nationwide.
The state epidemiologist, Elezuo Elezuo and Dr Orie Agomuo, the Director of Public Health and Disease Control in the ministry, had both revealed how 109 suspected cases of cholera were reported in six LGAs within the period in review, in the LGAs: Ohafia (1 case), Ikwuano (9 cases), Osisioma (1 case), Bende (17 cases), Arochukwu (42 cases) and Umunnochi (39 cases).
The ministry further explained that 2 out of the 109 reported cases samples tested positive after rapid diagnosis testing, RDT was conducted but the state Ministry of Health took it a step further and took the two positive cased to the National Reference Laboratory, Abuja, where they were tested confirmed negative for cholera, proving that there was no cholera in the state within the period under review.
As a sort of reassurance for the residents of the state, prevention and rapid response measures have been put in place by the ministry to ensure that Abia stays cholera-free.
The state government also issued warnings to residents about purchasing roadside foods, urging them to maintain personal hygiene, avoid drinking untreated water, and cooking their foods thoroughly before consuming.
