Gastroenteritis Disease Breaks Out In Jigawa, Kills Seve.

                  

The commissioner for Health in Jigawa State, Tafida Abubakar, has revealed that seven people have died died in an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Hadejia community of Hadeija Local Government Area of the state. Mr. Abubakar who made this known on Wednesday, said the deaths were recorded on Monday and Tuesday.
Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and intestines and occurs as diarrhoea and vomiting.
He disclosed that no fewer than 306 persons were also affected by the disease and are receiving treatment at the General Hospital in the community.
He said that treatment of the affected persons was free saying that efforts are being made to put the situation under control. “The disease is caused by bacterial infection from consumption of contaminated water,” he said, adding however, that sample of faeces of some affected persons had been taken for laboratory analysis to ascertain the cause of the epidemic.
Mr. Abubakar also said that the state government has set up a technical committee, comprising representatives of the ministries of Health, Water Resources, and Environment to investigate the outbreak.
He added that the government also directed total replacement of old water pipes and upgrade of the reticulation system in Hadejia to avert future occurrence of the incident.
The health commissioner stated that the Ministry of Health also sensitized inhabitants of Hadejia and other communities in the area on personal hygiene and sanitation as measures of controlling the spread of the disease.