Cholera death toll now 204

Two hundred-and-four persons have died cholera disease across the country.

This number reflects an increase in the previous 190 deaths recorded since the cholera epidemic started in April 2014, indicating that the disease is far from receding as the government battles to stem it with the introduction of the National Sanitation Day which was observed on Saturday.

Also 1,026 new cases were reported as of October 26, 2014 with the number of affected districts increasing from 114 to 121 districts in all regions of the country within a period of two weeks.

The outbreak in the Northern Region has spread to two new districts, Bole and West Gonja, moving to the western part of the region.

The Binduri District in the Upper East Region, which is adjoining Bawku on the Eastern border with the Republic of Togo, has also recorded cases of cholera.

Reported cases of cholera nationwide have also reached 24,648.

The Ashanti Region has so far recorded 203 cholera cases in 27 districts with two deaths, followed by the Brong-Ahafo region recording 586 cases in 15 districts and 21 deaths.

The Central Region has recorded 2, 673 cases in 15 of its districts with 36 deaths. In the Eastern Region 1,723 cases were recorded in 16 districts with six people dying while the Northern Region recorded 27 cases from 4 districts and 2 deaths.

The Volta Region also has 478 cases in seven districts, with eight deaths being recorded. Meanwhile, the Western Region has recorded 356 cases in 10 districts with seven deaths.

The Upper East and West regions had 236 and 30 cases in eight and three districts respectively.

Also, seven people have died in the Upper East Region and one in the Upper West due to cholera.

Greater Accra Region which has the most affected districts, recording 18,336 cases and 114 deaths in 16 districts.

Risk factors that need urgent attention to curb the cholera outbreak include poor sanitation, poor food and personal hygiene, unsafe drinking water and poor access to safe water and the breakdown of water and waste disposal systems.

Regional and district level activities like drug and supplies have been dispatched by health authorities with series of media engagements to educate the public especially the affected communities going on.

Last Saturday, clean-up exercise was carried out across the country as government response to the cholera outbreak with poor attendance in most communities because of inadequate publicity.

In Kumasi, Otumfuo Osei Tutu led the city authorities to wage the war against filth warning residents to keep their environment clean.