No fewer than five persons have reportedly died following the outbreak of cholera in communities around Eti Osa, Lagos Island, Ikorodu and Kosofe LGA of Lagos State.
60 persons are also said to be llhospitalized from the outbreak of the highly contagious disease.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this while reacting to the state surveillance reports, said the state government has issued a call for heightened vigilance and the adoption of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of a potential cholera outbreak in the state.
He noted that the outbreak resulted in about 60 hospital admissions, and five deaths recorded mainly from patients presenting late with extreme dehydration.
“We have activated a statewide heightened surveillance and response.
The Ministry of Health Directorate of Environmental Health and the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) have been alerted to investigate a possible water contamination source in the Lekki Victoria Island axis.
We suspect a possible cholera outbreak; however, samples have been taken for confirmation. As of April 28, 2024, Nigeria reported 815 suspected cholera cases and 14 d£aths across 25 states,” he said.
The Commissioner noted that following recent rains, Lagos State has seen a notable increase in cases of severe vomiting and watery stools, adding that urban slums and crowded areas with poor sanitation are particularly at risk.
