SW health delegate debunks rumour of fresh cholera outbreak.

In a communique issued on Tuesday January 9, the South West Regional Delegate of Public Health, Dr Eko Eko Filbert, was emphatic that there was currently no case of the deadly disease in the region. 
“…there are no cases of cholera in his region of command since the month of December 2023,” read an excerpt of the communique from the Regional Delegate.
The South West Region suffered different cholera outbreaks in the past, with the worse situation being in March 2023 when the outbreak hit Limbe and affected over 1,000 persons within just a few days. 
Within a week in the same period, some 1,435 cases, with 87 deaths were recorded in Limbe, 389 cases with six deaths in Buea. The Bakassi area in Ndian Division recorded 844 cases with 12 deaths and Ekondo-Titi had with 312 cases and eight deaths. 
Dr Eko Eko said in his communique that the last time the Region recorded cases of cholera was in November 2023 in Tombel Health District. 
However, he said after joint efforts by health stakeholders in the Region, the cases were subdued in December 2023.
The rumours of cholera outbreak in Buea, according to Dr Mathias Ngund, District Medical Officer, are bogus since Buea has not registered any cases this. 
The District Medical Officer said such disinformation was dangerous, given the efforts put in by the government and health stakeholders to ensure the best healthcare for the population.
In 2023, stakeholders in healthcare in the Region engaged several anti-cholera vaccination campaigns in the region to eradicate the epidemic in the region. 
In this case, he encouraged the population to continue following hygiene guidelines to ensure no outbreak in the region again. 
“…wishes to call on the vigilance of all and the respect of hygiene measures directed by his services to eliminate the occurrence of cholera in the region and the country at large,” he said.