The World Health Organisation has deployed 39 personnel to Mubi North and Mubi South local government areas of Adamawa State to control a recent outbreak of cholera in the state, an official said.
Charity Warigon, the WHO Communications Officer, said in a statement in Abuja on Monday that as of May 26, about 434 cases of cholera had been reported in the area, leading to 13 deaths.
Warigon said the personnel deployed would help coordinate partners’ response to the outbreak, support case management, surveillance and contact tracing of suspected cases to guide interventions.
She said that WHO was also concluding plans to engage additional 15 ad-hoc personnel who would support efforts at ensuring the outbreak did not spread to other locations.
She said: “The outbreak has necessitated the health authority to activate an Emergency Operations Centre for concerted response and rapid decision-making.
“The transmission rate of the on-going cholera outbreak in Adamawa is indeed worrisome.
“Notwithstanding, WHO is leveraging on its past experience and lessons learnt in controlling major cholera outbreaks in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.
“In response to the outbreak, the organisation has designated a cholera treatment centre at General Hospital, Mubi.
“This will rapidly interrupt transmission; we are already seeing results as the number of cases have been declining.”
Warigon said that house-to-house sensitisation and awareness campaigns among traditional and religious leaders on the risk of cholera were being undertaken by WHO to prevent its spread.
She said that cholera was easy to treat but could also kill quickly if not treated promptly and called on more efforts by all to prevent spread.
