The Government of Ogun State has announced the outbreak of a suspected viral disease identified as ‘Gastroenteritis’ in the state.
The disease is also known as stomach flu and it broke out in Magboro, Ofada area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
According to the State Ministry of Health, the disease is spreading among Okada riders and scavengers in the domain.
Goldennationblog.com gathered that viral gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection marked by watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever.
It was gathered that the disease is usually caused by contact with an infected person or by ingesting contaminated food or water.
Medical practitioners explained that healthy people who suffered the disease may recover without complications but maintained that it could be “deadly” for infants, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems.
However, the State Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, while confirming the outbreak in a statement revealed that the reported cases “were predominant among commercial motorcyclists and scavengers in the area.”
She said that the index case was said to have recently returned from a trip outside Ogun and that she has been connected to the source of the outbreak.
The health commissioner also said that a public toilet was the channel of transmission, adding that the toilet has been sealed up for sanitation.
“The causative agent cannot be confirmed yet because appropriate sample could not be collected as there was no active case yet to commence antibiotics,” the Health Commissioner stated.
She disclosed that several people “are currently receiving treatment to control the number of casualties.”
The commissioner blamed an unregistered clinic being run by a quack as having contributed to the outbreak, regretting that cases were being managed unreported.
To control the viral disease, Coker informed that the state government has set up a treatment center at the Magboro-Akeran Health Centre, where curative items have been made available by the Department of Public Health.
Also, she added that adjourning communities had been sensitized on what to do and where to seek care or report any wary cases.
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