Angoram cholera infection rises

FIVE new cases of the dreaded cholera disease were reported yesterday bringing the total number of confirmed cases from the outbreak in Angoram, East Sepik province, to 136.
Provincial health authorities said two of the new cases were from Moim and three from Kambaramba villages.
Provincial health adviser, Albert Bunat, confirmed that one of two people infected at Moim village had died, bringing the death toll to six despite efforts by health workers to prevent death and spreading.
Mr Bunat said following the report of the increasing number of cases, they were working hard to prevent it from spreading.
He said community health workers and other support staff had been deployed in the affected areas to treat patients.
Mr Bunat said these people were working around the clock to conduct personal hygiene and cleanliness awareness, observe as well as to treat patients diagnosed with cholera.
He said he was particularly concerned with the bigger population of people that lived by the Sepik River’s edge who could be easily affected whenever the tide changed and flowed in their direction.
Mr Bunat said in Wewak, a Kambaramba man had been admitted at Wewak General Hospital, but there were no confirmation about what he is suffering from. The hospital CEO Dr Louis Samiak also confirmed this yesterday.
Meanwhile, community leaders from the Schoutern islands in Wewak have called on the people of Biem, Ruprup and Kadawar islands to ban trips to Madang and Bogia to prevent it from spreading.
Ruprup island ward member Moses Niab said people from these islands living in other centres like Madang and Lae, who wish to travel to their island villages during the festive period, should defer their travel until there was clearance from the health authorities