From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo

Cholera outbreak has allegedly killed no fewer than seven persons in Ndiegu Itsu village of Ndieze community, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Residents expressed fear that casualty figures may rise, as at least 40 others were also said to have manifested similar symptoms and hospitalized.

This is as the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, denied that anybody died of the disease in the area.

Our reporter, who visited the village, was told by a stakeholder, Okechukwu Mgbeleke, that the problem, whereby the victims were defecating and vomiting indiscriminately before their death, was noticed on Saturday, September 25, 2021.

He disclosed that, on the first day, the two-year-old daughter of Samuel Nwoga was struck and killed by the disease. While people went to condole with the bereaved family, unfortunately, the problem spread to a motorcycle mechanic, Ifeanyichukwu Nwoba, who also died some hours later.

He told Daily Sun that the ailment claimed at least seven persons in the space of three days, including Mrs. Obioma Ominyi, a mother of five children who had given birth to a baby barely a week before she died. 

“Since Saturday till today, being Tuesday, that we began to experience this problem, the following persons have also died: Nwokoro Nwambam, 60, Ogbu Nwankpuma, 70, 15-year-old-boy and nine-year- old child identified as Miss Ukamaka Linus Itoto and another identified as Master Nwogbala, respectively,” he said.

Former ward councillor in the area, Francis Njoku, added that besides the seven people who had died of the disease, about 40 persons, comprising adults, teenagers and children, were receiving medical care at the General Hospital, Iboko.

Njoku said: “After it had been noticed, out of our ignorance over the nature of the matter, the problem began to spread to other persons who earlier paid condolence visits to some bereaved families.

“It is through this medium that the sickness escalated within the whole village and beyond.”

He said that, apart from Ndiegu Itsu, other neighbouring villages, which include Izaleme, Otam Izekwe, Itsu and Ndi-Aji, of the same community, had begun to experience the same problem, and thereby called on government and relevant agencies for help.

Anthony Ogbu, the first son of the late Ogbu Nwankpuma, said that his father started with the complaint of having stomach ache and, before they could taje action or understand what was happening, the old man began to vomit. Following the development, he was taken to a patent medicine store where drip and other treatments were given but, unfortunately, he did not make it, as he died about 12 hours later.

Michael Ominyi, husband to another victim, Mrs. Obioma Ominyi, told Daily Sun that he was the first to be affected in his home and, during the period, he and his late wife had attributed the cause to the new yam, which they ate before the problem surfaced. But, shockingly, while he was sourcing for medication, his spouse suddenly took ill and died.

“I am devastated over this issue because my wife gave birth to a baby on September 18, 2021, and died on the 26th of the same month but, before then, I was the first person to be affected in my home. But after my own case had deteriorated from bad to worse, suddenly, my wife died,” he lamented.

It was learnt that the son and grandson of Mr. Nwokoro Nwambam, who was among the first persons to die of the disease, were hospitalized. 

Meanwhile, the state government has maintained that nobody died in of cholera outbreak. Dr. Umezuruike confirmed the fresh outbreak when contacted and said that the ministry took the sick patients to a state government-owned general hospital in Iboko, Izzi, for treatment.

He also confirmed that 19 persons were evacuated from the village to the hospital for treatment.

“We have evacuated the patients to the hospital and I believe that they are picking up and the situation is already under control.

“You know, it is only when you don’t handle it on time that it will escalate and so many people will get sick.

“I am not aware of any death; they are always quoting people as dying. Nobody has died. We responded quickly when they reported to us yesterday and moved all the patients to the general hospital at Iboko, where they are responding to treatment,” the commissioner said.