The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, on Sunday, disclosed that 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis confirmed to be caused by cholera were reported at Kirikiri Medium Security Prison.
In the same vein, the State Government announced a significant improvement in daily cholera cases from the spike reported two weeks ago, but acknowledges evidence of ongoing low-grade community transmission, because few cases are still being reported in hospitals.
The announcement was made in a statement issued today by the Lagos State Ministry of Health through the Commissioner for Health Professor Akin Abayomi on Sunday while providing an update on the cholera outbreak following the “One Health” Inter-governmental agency strategic meeting held over the weekend.
The Commissioner for Health revealed that although no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government was intensifying countermeasures to completely eliminate transmission.
Abayomi noted that the reduction in new daily cases and the absence of new deaths indicate interventions are bearing dividends but more importantly that residents are adhering to public health information and advice on safety measures and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms develop.
According to the Health Commissioner, a small outbreak of 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis occurred at Kirikiri Medium security prison confirmed to be caused by cholera. He added that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures have been implemented with success.
“We were able to supply Kirikiri medium prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention and other health consumables. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals which have been delivered to the prison to support prison health facilities with prevention strategies for about 3,200 inmates if required. “Immediate water and sanitation issues have been corrected and there is ongoing inspections of other correctional facilities in the state ”, he said.
Speaking on the source of the original outbreak two weeks ago, Abayomi disclosed that it has been traced to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supply.
In theAfrica Health Report edition published on June 22, the Lagos State government attributed the surge in the spread of the cholera epidemic in the state to indiscriminate consumption of unregistered tiger-nut drinks.
