At least11 people have died following the outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Lagos State while 370 others had been treated, the state Ministry of Health has confirmed.
Gastroenteritis is caused by micro-organisms like those causing typhoid fever, cholera and certain viruses. It can be contacted by eating or contaminated foods such as uncooked seafood and drinking contaminated water. He said of great concern was a voice note currently circulating on WhatsApp which emanated from an unidentified individual purportedly linked to one of its health facilities misinforming the public about the alarming deaths rate occasioned by the disease, thus creating fear.
According to Abayomi, following the report of the outbreak, Rapid Response Teams at the affected LGAs led by the Medical Officers of Health were activated, stool specimen were collected for laboratory test to confirm the micro-organism causing the vomiting and diarrhea while surveillance had also been scaled up in communities within the affected LGAs to stop the spread of the infection.
Abayomi said since the activation, the EOC which is made up of representatives from the Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Board, Health Service Commission, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency , World Health Organisation and Central Public Health Laboratory among others had been meeting on a daily basis; collating results, reviewing plans and interventions as well as suggesting and coordinating the implementation of measures to effectively curtail the spread of the disease and...
“Although, Lagos is prone to seasonal infectious diseases like gastroenteritis because of its demography and low line megacity nature, we will however not relent in our effort to respond to any water born or airborne outbreaks that may happen in our State whilst ensuring that citizens remain safe and healthy,” he said.