Cholera Outbreak: One Student Killed, 55 Hospitalized In Kaduna

Fears Of Cholera Outbreak Hit Kaduna State

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Jafaru Sani, has  confirmed the outbreak of cholera at the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Kawo.

Naija News understands that “astudent  died and over 40 students have been hospitalised out of about 55 cases under watch”

According to the commissioner who was fielding questions from journalists at the school premises where he went to observe the situation, the situation had been brought under control. He also said 55 students were initially admitted at the general hospital, Kawo, but 15 were discharged, leaving 40 others on admission.

“The situation is under control. When we heard about the report, I called the commissioner for health and human service who immediately ordered the authority of Kaduna North local government to deploy health workers to the school immediately.“The ministry of health has also made provision for a makeshift control centre within the school,” he said.

The Deputy Director, Disease Control Center in the state ministry of health, Dr. Ibrahim Suleiman, also said the students were admitted at the hospital due to diarrhea and vomiting.

“We are yet to confirm the real cause of the problem, but there are a lot of contamination around the water source the students are using which may be a serious contributory factor. “Apart from these students on admission, we are also investigating another 89 cases apart from diarrhea and vomiting,” Suleiman said.

One of the parents who came to pick his daughter, said the environment of the well, the only source of water for the students, was littered with faeces.

“The overhead tank in the school was not working thereby making it difficult for the students to use the toilet facility in the school.

“My daughter was affected. The school hygiene was too poor. There is excreta around the well where these children are getting water,” he said.

Also, a member of the State Disease Control Agency, Kaduna North branch, Suleiman Ibrahim, whose team visited the school said the students suffered from gastroenteritis. The ailment is an intestinal infection marked by diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.

Health experts say a lot of the symptoms of cholera overlap with the symptoms of the other forms of gastroenteritis, like vomiting and nausea and abdominal pain. But what really sets cholera apart is the severe dehydration and diarrhoea.