9th December, 2010
No fewer than 15 persons are reported dead in Mubi-South Local Government Area of Adamawa following a cholera outbreak.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports more than 30 other persons infected with the disease have been hospitalised.
The Council Chairman, Mr Bitrus Habzhi, who confirmed the outbreak on Wednesday, said Mubi, Gela and Mujara communities were the worst hit by the disease.
Habzhi, who attributed the outbreak to consumption of contaminated water, said the communities lost three people within three days.
He said the council had deployed medical and environmental health workers to all districts in the area to contain the disease.
“We supplied drugs to the clinics and conducted chlorine spray in the affected areas,†Habzhi said.
The chairman said the council had embarked on awareness campaign to sensitise communities on the need to purify water before consumption and ensure proper waste disposal.
He added that the council had also embarked on massive evacuation of refuse in residential areas to contain the spread of the disease.
“The exercise is to improve hygiene and sanitation in the communities to effectively contain the spread of the disease,†he said.
The chairman urged farmers in the area to stop dumping of emptied agro-chemical containers in the rivers in order not to contaminate the water.
People in the area relied on water from the river contaminated with chemicals.
