Cholera: Death toll rises to 29 as infections hit 579 in Lagos

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, says fatalities from the state’s cholera outbreak have risen to 29 deaths and 579 suspected cases across multiple Local Government Areas in the state.

Abayomi made the disclosure during a state multi-agency news briefing and update on the cholera outbreak on Monday in Lagos.

The commissioner disclosed laboratory confirmation of 43 cases, noting that Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa recorded the highest numbers of infections.

“Most of these deaths were caused by patients presenting very late at a stage where we could not resuscitate them because they had severe dehydration, and many patients were actually brought in dead.

“Out of all the samples we were able to collect, we were able to identify vibrio cholera.

“So, this is indeed a confirmed case of the cholera outbreak by a subtype O1 that is known to us to be very contagious and to cause significant sickness in those that contract it.

“Many, many children came down with cholera, many students, lots of traders, and artisans.

“Those were the predominant cases and these we suspect are people that are in crowded areas,” he said

According to him, the state recorded severe cases that led to fatalities due to severe dehydration, while some were resuscitated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.

“Some of these cases their kidneys had shut down from the severe dehydration and at that facility, we had access to renal dialysis; so, we were able to wake the kidneys back up with renal dialysis and rehydrate them.

“Those are the kinds of cases that we still have on admission because they were very, very severe. We were able to rescue them from dying,” he said.

The commissioner further said that 30 patients were left on admission as of June 23, noting that the cases were declining in the state.

Speaking on the distribution of cases based on visitation to health facilities, Abayomi disclosed that 209 visited General Hospitals; 193 Primary Healthcare Centres; 152 private hospitals, military/police hospital 14, Tertiary hospital eight and unknown 12.