suspected-cholera-patients-in-the-hospital Janet Ogundepo With about 30 states still battling with rising cholera infections, public health and internal medicine experts have warned that poorly treated cholera may lead to kidney failure, stroke and possible death. according to them, late presentation of cholera patients to the hospital significantly increases the fatality rate and preventable complications. The experts, in separate interviews with PUNCH Healthwise, urged relatives of individuals infected with cholera to seek immediate medical care in a hospital, warning that the condition can lead to death if properly managed.
Recently, the Lagos State Government attributed the number of recorded cholera deaths in the state to late hospital presentation. Since, the outbreak of the disease earlier in the month, the death toll in the state has risen to 29, with 30 patients still undergoing treatment. As of Monday, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris, said that 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths have been recorded across 31 states and 107 Local Government Areas since the beginning of the year.
Cholera, although preventable, is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera causes severe diarrhoea and leads to different levels of dehydration, leading to death if untreated. The common indications are vomiting and stooling, while other symptoms include.
