The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Bayelsa State has raised the alarm over the outbreak of cholera in the state.
As a result of this health emergency, NOA announced that it has commenced a sensitisation campaign to alert the public of the outbreak of the disease.
Mrs Grace Olobio, acting state Director of NOA in Bayelsa State,bmade this known in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Sunday
She said the outbreak is believed to have been caused by contamination of water sources and poor sanitation facilities in the affected areas.
Olobio explained that signs and symptoms of the disease include diarrhea, low blood pressure, dehydration, sunken eyes and extreme thirst, rapid weight loss, dry and shriveled skin and vomiting.
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The NOA advised the people that to prevent contracting the disease, residents should boil their water before drinking, wash their hands frequently with soap and running clean water.
The agency further counselled the public to avoid eating raw and undercooked food, avoid open defecation and improper disposal of waste.
While calling for calm, the NOA boss in Bayelsa State, urged residents of the state to take immediate precautions to prevent the further spread of cholera across the state.
Also, the NOA urged the people to seek medical attention whenever symptoms of the disease are noticed.
It would be recalled that the cholera outbreak was initially denied by the state government in December 2024, when health workers reported widespread cases of diarrhoea in Nembe Local Government Area.
The health emergency was first highlighted by the forum of non-governmental organisations in the state, which reported fatalities in Nembe Local Government Area.
The coalition criticized the government’s delay in releasing clinical test results and its initial description of the outbreak as gastroenteritis.
