AN outbreak of cholera has claimed 61 lives in Yobe State while 906 people have been infected with the disease. 

Commissioner of Health in the state, Muhammad Kawuwa, made this known in a statement issued in Damaturu, the state capital, on Friday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“Some of the AWD cases were caused by Vibrio bacteria, the bacteria that cause cholera,” Kawuwa stated.

“906 cases have been recorded in six local government areas of the state: Gujba, Gulani, Damaturu, Fune, Potiskum and Nangere in two months. Over 795 patients were successfully treated and discharged, 50 are still on admission in various health facilities across the state.

“Unfortunately, we lost 61 patients mainly due to delays in timely reporting to the healthcare facilities for life-saving treatment.

“In the light of this and due to our continued concern for the health of our people, the state government is, therefore, declaring outbreak cholera in the state.”

The commissioner the state has been working working in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to find out the cause or causes of the outbreak.

However, Kawuwa identified poor personal hygiene, lack of proper sanitation facilities and flooding as possible causes of the outbreak. He called on all relevant stakeholders, including religious and traditional leaders to join hands together in tackling the outbreak.

Only three months ago, the Yobe State government had declared an earlier outbreak of cholera in five local government areas of the state . The previous outbreak affected 404 persons, out of which 16 died.