No confirmed cases of cholera in Osun – Official

The Osun government says there are no confirmed cases of cholera outbreaks in the state.

This was disclosed by the Director of Public Health in the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Akeem Bello, in an interview with the newsmen on Wednesday in Osogbo.

Bello, however, said that all the primary healthcare centres in the state had been put on alert in case of any outbreak of the disease.

“Presently, we have yet to record any outbreak of cholera in the state,” he said.

The director, however, stated that since last week, when news about the outbreak of the disease filtered in from Lagos, all the primary healthcare centres across the state have been put on standby in case of any outbreak.

“We are on top of the situation, and the government is doing everything possible to ensure that, in case of any outbreak, we can quickly curtail it,” he said.

Bello also said that an emergency operation centre on cholera would be activated to prevent the spread of the disease in schools in case of an outbreak.

He also said that a surveillance team from the epidemiology department would be monitoring the situation in the state to contain the spread or outbreak of the disease.

“An emergency operation centre (EOC) will be activated any moment from now on.

“Officials from the Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) are members of the EOC and are well-informed about the cholera outbreak in Lagos,” he said.

Bello also said that the government had placed jingles on some radio stations to sensitise residents of the state on the causes and prevention of cholera.

Supreme News reports that cholera is a highly infectious disease caused by vibrio cholera, characterised by diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, abdominal cramps, and fever.

Supreme News also reports that if left untreated, cholera can lead to severe dehydration, shock, and even death within hours.

However, prompt treatment with oral rehydration therapy (ORT) or intravenous fluids can effectively manage the disease.

Cholera is typically spread through contaminated food and water, poor sanitation and hygiene, as well as close contact with infected individuals.

It can be prevented by proper hand washing, safe drinking water, proper food handling and storage, and avoiding close contact with infected individuals, among others.