Cholera outbreak at Akyem Oda

One person has died while 22 others are on admission at the Oda Government Hospital as a result of a cholera outbreak in the Akyem Oda area.

Thirteen of the victims are males while the rest are females.

The deceased has been identified as Abdul Warid Musah, a 47-year-old man who resides at Oda Old Town.  

The Medical Superintendent in-charge of the Oda Government Hospital, Dr Kobina Awotwe Wiredu, who briefed the Daily Graphic at Oda today, said most of the victims were from Akyem Achiase in the Birim South District and the rest from Oda in the Birim Central Municipality.

He attributed the outbreak of the disease at Achiase to the poor handing of faecal matter  at the public place of convenience, as well as a refuse container which had not been emptied for a very long time.

He advised Ghanaians to strictly observe personal hygiene and environmental cleanliness and also boil and filter all unwholesome water before drinking.

Dr Wiredu urged people to consume hot food since the cholera bacteria could not stay in food which was above 70 degrees celsius or more.

He also advised the public to wash their hands regularly with soup under running water.

He stated that where water was not readily available, hand sanitisers should be used to protect against contracting the cholera disease.

The medical superintendent appealed to residents in the communities to rush patients with diarrhoea to the nearest hospital for treatment, stressing that they should not allow them to become very weak before sending them to the hospital for medical attention.

He said Warid Musah died because his relatives waited for his condition to become critical before sending him to the hospital by which time it was too late to save him.

Dr Wiredu gave the assurance that the hospital had enough logistics to manage all reported cases of cholera.