A 72-year-old woman has died from the cholera outbreak reported earlier in the week in the coastal community of Emeroke, in Eastern Obolo local government area of Akwa Ibom State, according to local residents.
The development has the death toll to rise to 12, LEADERSHIP gathered on Saturday.
Medics at the neihbouring Immanuel General Hospital at Eket local government area of the State, where the victims were taken to for treatment, had put the initial death figure at five, with mostly children and teenagers worst hit by the sudden cholera outbreak before government intervention.
Those affected were diagnosed with the disease following notable symptoms, including severe stooling, vomiting and general body weakness.
A concerned resident, who spoke to our Correspondent on condition pf anonymity, explained that the elderly woman, who is the latest casualty, “died for her refusal to be taken to the hospital for treatment because of her religious belief and doctrine which, according to her, was heavily tilted to spiritual healing and abhorrent to orthodox medical administration.
“The old woman refused to be taken to hospital because as a member of Samuel Samuel Spiritual Church, they don’t believe in orthodox medical administration as a cure for any form of ailment, but have strong faith and belief in spiritual healing.
“Her case was very critical because she was stooling and vomiting. We begged her to be taken to hospital but she refused. Unfortunately, she died on Tuesday because she was weak, pale and dehydrated.
“The community has been deserted. Some patients who were admitted in hospital are recuperating while five of them had earlier died,” he recalled.
Recall that at the outbreak of the disease, the state government had despatched emergency health officials from a secondary health facility in the state to ascertain the exact number of cases and casualties.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Patrick Essiet, who confirmed the incident, assured that the state Epidemiologist has been sent to the affected community for enlightenment campaigns on measures to mitigate the disease.
“The ministry of Health hereby advises members of the community and the environs that as an immediate intervention, proper hand washing should be done especially after defecation, boiling of drinking water before consumption while all persons with symptoms of diarrhoea or vomiting should seek immediate treatment at the nearest health facility
“Furthermore, the Ministry reminds community leaders to enforce the existing ban on open defecation by the Government.
“While the State Government is working on a long-term solution, the ministry is currently mobilising supplies to the community as an immediate and short-term measure,” he stressed.
He, therefore, directed the public to report all suspected cases of Cholera to the director of Public Health in the Ministry of Health.
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