Cholera Outbreak in Ibadan: 4 Killed, 16 Critically ill

Aug 22, 2011 – 4 people have died while 16 others are critically ill as a result of a cholera outbreak in some parts of Ibadan North West Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Acccording to Wasiu Olatunbosun, the caretaker Chairman of the LGA, steps have already been taken to prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the city. He said that health officers have treated water wells with chlorine. These wells are the major sources of water in the area. Adjoining areas have also been fumigated.

Food vendors in the communities have reportedly been barred from selling any edible thing pending the time the epidemic is checked.

“I got the information on Saturday and directed the Director of Environmental Services to go to the areas and chlorinate the water that people of the areas drink. By tomorrow,” Olatunbosun said yesterday, “I will personally visit the areas. We shall also try to build public toilets for them immediately.”

The Director of Environmental Services in the council, Olalekan Olatunbosun, said that Ayeye community was the worst hit. According to him, three adults and a child had so far been reported dead in Ayeye.

He said that the epidemic was caused by the absence of toilet facilities in most of the houses in the affected communities. When the Environmental Services visited the community, they found out that most of the houses do not have toilets or waste bins.

Meanwhile victims of the epidemic have been taken to Ayeye Health Centre and another maternity centre at Oniyanrin.