Cross River confirms death of 7 children from cholera
Director-General, Cross River Primary Healthcare Care Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, has confirmed the death of seven children from cholera in the state.
Ekpenyong, who confirmed the deaths, Wednesday, in Calabar, said the agency recorded more than 600 suspected cases in the state between March and April.
“Over 600 suspected cases were detected and we had a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) conducted on them. We also did a microscopic test and culture to have a true confirmation of the cases.
“We confirmed that most of the cases were not cholera related, though we had three active cases of the disease in Ogoja Local Government Area (LGA).
“Whenever we go for medical outreach and detect suspected cases of cholera with symptoms such as diarrhoea, we take samples immediately.
“Thereafter, the rapid diagnostic test is carried out and treatment initiated immediately.
“Over the past two months, we have actually had seven deaths occurring as a result of cholera,” she said.
Ekpenyong said that treatment was initiated after samples were collected for microscopic test, but sadly however, some of the children died before the results were out.
According to the DG, the children are the most vulnerable to diarrhoea, because they play mostly with dirt and still use their hands to eat without washing them.
On sensitisation, Ekpenyong said her goal was working with the National Orientation Agency and other partners to sensitise mothers on the importance of maintaining hygienic habits and drinking clean water.
She noted that most of the cases were as a result of drinking unclean water that had been contaminated by faeces from open defecation, especially in rural areas without toilets.
She said that since most rural dwellers depended on water from the streams, it was important for people from such communities to boil such water before drinking.
The DG also told NAN that the agency was partnering with relevant agencies for the sinking of boreholes in some communities, with a view to providing portable drinking water for them.
It would be recalled that the Cross River primary Health Care Agency boss had earlier Monday stated that there are no active cases of monkey pox in the state.
Dr. Ekpenyong stressed that the state government has a strong detection and management system as well as rapid surveillance team on ground to savage any pandemic.
“Cross River State has always been a state with proactive approaches to outbreak responses.
“We try to activate immediate search and border control measures as it can be traced as far as the Poliomyelitis control, COVID -19, lassa fever where almost all of our neigbouring states recorded substantial number of cases.
“As of today May 16th 2022, there’s no active case of monkey pox in Cross River State.
“We have tried every avenue to ensure that the state manage every symptoms of monkey pox especially in those Local Government Areas where we have recorded cases in the last few months.
“We have intensified surveillance as we actively search for people who visit our health facilities with similar symptoms and those reported by their relatives”, she said.
She assured residents that the government will not relent in its efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.
She also disclosed that government is working with its partners like world health organization, UNICEF and others who have always supported it in surveillance activities, periodic training of our health workers.
Her reaction follows reports in some local media in the state on the outbreak of monkey pox disease.
Monkey pox is caused by bites from animals or direct contacts with rodents like rats, rabbits or contaminated foodstuffs from these animals and it’s easily transmittable from human to human
Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, a general feeling of discomfort, and exhaustion.
Later symptoms occur one to three days or more after the appearance of fever and include a rash with raised bumps, often first developing on the face.
