Cape Coast cholera outbreak: 36 cases confirmed

Health authorities have declared cholera outbreak in the Cape Coast metropolis in the Central Region as scores of residents have contracted the disease within a week.

Of the 54 cases reported at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Hospital within the week, a total of 36 have tested positive of the cholera bacterium, and authorities are on high alert to prevent further spread.

Three of them are students of the University who live in communities around campus.

The outbreak, which is more concentrated in the Abura area, has caused officials of the Ministry of Health to visit UCC Hospital and other health facilities in the metropolis to assess the situation. The University of Cape Coast Hospital serves 20,000 students and staff of the University, as well as residents of Cape Coast and beyond. The Hospital three years ago declared a state of emergency on its campus following a similar cholera outbreak.

Health Director of the UCC Hospital, Dr Evans Ekanem, told 3News the outbreak is suspected to have started from a local food vendor in the municipality, saying “I got to know that there is a ‘waakye’ seller who served many people after which a lot suffered.

“As to whether our three students suffered [the cholera] through this food or not, I am yet to know,” Dr Ekanem said. Dr Ekanem said that patients started reporting symptoms of the disease at the UCC Hospital from Saturday, October 22.

Currently, the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Hospital is congested.

“We don’t have isolation wards, but we cannot add cholera patients with other emergency patients, so we have moved emergency cases to one consulting room,” Dr Ekanem indicated.

Some patients told 3News the emergency unit of the Hospital is short of toiletries but Dr Ekanem could not deny or confirm. He said patients are receiving the best of medical attention.