The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has warned that the cholera outbreak in the city could get worse.
According to the Metropolitan Public Health Director of the AMA, Dr. Simpson Boateng, who spoke to Citi News, 11 cases have been reported cases so far, including one confirmed case at the Agbogbloshie clinic and two at the Odawna clinic, while the eight other cases are yet to be confirmed.
This announcement follows the AMA’s earlier warning about the imminent outbreak last week.
Dr. Simpson Boateng has called on the general public to abstain from practices that will expose them to the outbreak.
“Wash your hands with running water and soap before eating and after a visiting the toilet, avoid buying food from unhygienic and exposed vendors,”
Meanwhile, the AMA says they have sent vans to the various communities to educate people on the symptoms of cholera.
The symptoms include serious diarrhea, vomiting and general weakness.
“If you experience any of these symptoms, report immediately,” Dr. Boateng advised.
“An untreated person with cholera may produce 10-20 liters of diarrhea a day with fatal results.”
“If the severe diarrhea and vomiting are not aggressively treated it can, within hours, result in life-threatening dehydration.”
In January 2013, the Ghana Health Service declared a cholera outbreak in the Ashanti Region.
Eighteen people died and in all, 310 cases were registered in the region. Most of the infected persons were women and children.
By: Afiba Anyanzua Anyanzu/citifmonline.com/Ghana