Moree cholera deaths rise to three

Moree (C/R), July 14, GNA- Three cholera related deaths have been recorded at the Moree Health centre in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) district, the latest being a two-year old boy who died on admission, on Thursday morning.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. John Essel, the District Disease Control Officer said that the Health Centre has since June 22, recorded 89 cases including 43 females with two people still on admission. All the three victims of the disease are males.

He said of the 89 cases only two were from Amosima near Asebu with the rest from the Moree Town, particularly Alata, a suburb of Moree.

He expressed concern about the high volume of filth in that community which also lacked drains while the people defecate indiscriminately, even though there are three public toilets in the town.

The AAK District Assembly and some health personnel with the assistance of Zoom Lion have organized communal labour to rid the area of filth as part of measures to curb the spread of the disease in the town, Mr. Essel said.

He said the Ghana Health Service had in collaboration with the Ghana Water Company taken samples and had investigated some shallow wells serving as a source of drinking water for the people in the town during which it was discovered that some of them were contaminated with faecal matter.

According to him, a total of 28 wells have been chlorinated so far whiles others discovered to be unhygienic have been covered and the people advised not to use them.

Mr. Essel said to further check its spread, vehicles that carry cholera patients to the health center were disinfected and the drivers given preventive drugs while follow ups were made to victims’ homes to disinfect their houses and the occupants given drugs.

He said community health nurses have also been deployed to educate the communities on good sanitary practices and personal hygiene, particularly washing of hands with soap and water to stem the spread of the disease.

The disease control officer said that most food vendors at Moree expose their food to flies and dirt, which adds to the spread and took the opportunity to advise them to cover their food and also observe good sanitation practices.

He said there was enough supplies of drugs at the Center and the cases were gradually reducing.