After battling with the recent flood that ravaged Borno, no fewer than 451 persons have been confirmed to be suffering from cholera.
The cholera outbreak was announced on Friday by Prof. Baba Mallam Gana, the state’s Commissioner for Health during a press conference in Maiduguri.
“We are having a cholera outbreak in Borno State, which is highly contagious and can be transmitted via the fecal-oral route with an approximate incubation period of 2-5 days,” Gana warned.
The commissioner said the outbreak was due to the recent devastating floods that swept through the state, displacing over two million people and destroying critical health infrastructure.
“Risk factors for cholera include poor sanitation and/or personal hygiene, open defecation, poor food and water storage, insufficient potable water supply to the entire populace, high population density, especially in IDP camps, ceremonies, and other congregate settings,” the commissioner explained.
The affected local government areas he said, include Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Jere, Konduga, Mafa, and Monguno.
“I appeal to all line ministries, agencies, departments, and partners to join hands and provide optimal responses to control the current cholera outbreak,” Prof. Gana urged.