Cholera Outbreak Kills Five In Ogun State

No fewer than five persons have lost their lives in Abeokuta, Ogun State, following the suspected outbreak of cholera.

Although the state government confirmed one dead, sources at the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, said the epidemic killed five persons.

Our correspondent gathered from some Ijaye residents that a spill from a septic tank in the area, penultimate week, resulted in the contamination of the water supply to the community.

The development reportedly culminated in the epidemic that hit the community.

Confirming the cholera outbreak, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said the epidemic occurred in some communities in Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South local government areas.

He linked the incident to the poor level of hygiene and sanitation, especially in faecal waste management in the affected communities.

He, however, promised that the state government would ensure that there would be no recurrence of the incident in any part of the state.

The commissioner said, "Although the majority of patients tested were shown not to be suffering from cholera, there were two confirmed cases at the time.

"The measures taken have so far contained the outbreak."