LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
admin A couple has died at the Isolo General Hospital, Lagos State, from cholera infection.
Mr. Emeto and his wife, Augustina, their daughter and neighbor were allegedly rushed to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital in the wee hours of Sunday.
It was gathered that the victims started stooling, vomiting and exhibiting other symptoms after they ate African salad, popularly known as Abacha.
It was reported yesterday that hospitals on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Isolo and environs were overfilled with cholera patients, an upsurge that started since October 9.
A three year-old died at the weekend in one of the hospitals on Ago Palace Way. A mother and her three children were also brought in unconscious to another private facility.
All the cases, sources said, are traceable to the consumption of the staple at Cele Bus Stop.
Checks by our correspondent indicated that the Abacha seller at Cele has also been a contact point whenever there was an cholera outbreak in the state.
Abacha is a local delicacy made from fermented cassava and garnished with other ingredients like oil bean seeds, palm oil, potash, and garden eggs. However, there have been concerns about the hygiene condition during preparation and at the sales point.
The death of the Emetos, devoted Catholics, has rattled parishioners at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Isolo, who advised people to steer clear of the staple.
One of the voice notes shared by one Romanus confirmed the couple’s death. He lamented that the husband was the first to die before the wife followed.
He said: “Around 1am (Sunday), we got a call that we lost one of our brothers (Emeto). The report was that his wife and daughter were vomiting and stooling and he took them to the hospital. Getting to the hospital, he also started to stool and vomit. It was discovered that they ate Abacha on Saturday, bought from a woman at Cele bus stop. The man died first and the body has been taken to the village.
“The daughter was treated.”
Another church member, who announced Mrs. Emeto’s death on Monday, said a neighbour who joined Mrs. Emeto in eating the staple also started to stool and vomit.
165 cases recorded in Niger
No fewer than 16 persons of the 165 cases recorded in Niger State have died, representing nine per cent mortality rate, the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr Dangana Ibrahim, said.
According to Ibrahim, 145 patients have been treated and discharged.
“To prevent further spread, contingency measures have been implemented, including the distribution of essential medical supplies to affected areas and health facilities,” Ibrahim said.
He identified the affected local government areas as Paiko, Gurara, Suleja, Bosso, and Katcha, adding that the disease surveillance system has been activated.
Active contact tracing and case management are also ongoing in all affected communities, he added.
Poor hygiene cause of outbreak, says minister
Meanwhile, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, attributed poor hygiene as the major cause of cholera outbreaks.
Speaking at the Global Handwashing Day in Abuja, the minister emphasised that inadequate sanitation and handwashing habits put public health at serious risk.
He said: “Hand washing with soap remains the first line of defense against outbreaks and reducing the spread of waterborne diseases.”
The minister called for accelerated investment in hygiene infrastructure across homes, schools, and public spaces to close existing gaps. According to him, better hygiene practices are essential to improving health outcomes, reducing school absenteeism, and boosting productivity.
