Cholera cases in Wewak increase

National, Normal
Source:

By GYNNIE KERO DWU journalism student

CHOLERA is spreading rapidly in Wewak, East Sepik province, and the cholera response team has decided to visit houses in the town to carry out preventive measures.
Three new cases were reported over the weekend in Wewak pushing the total cases to 26 yesterday.
The response team is going into areas in town where cholera patients reside and are spraying homes, assessing living conditions, personal hygiene and making sure they live in suitable environments.
Provincial cholera response coordinator Dr John Sairere said yesterday that the number of people in Wewak district diagnosed with cholera had reached 26 over the weekend, an increase of three from the 23 reported last Friday.
He said the health team started visiting Namba 2 Basis yesterday and would cover all settlements to conduct health education and prevention exercise in a bid to reduce the chances of people contracting the dreaded epidemic.
Dr Sairere said they had set up cholera task force teams in other districts so that they could report back and get updates in districts like, Maprik, Yangoru-Saussia, Ambunti-Dreikikier and Wosera- Gawi.
He said there were no cases in Maprik yet but they were keeping a close look on its environmental health the reason being that it had a lot of tributaries.
Dr Sairere said the ban on cooked food had not been lifted and there was a greater chance for outbreak of cholera in town if people failed to take heed.
Boram General Hospital chief executive officer, Dr Louis Samiak, said the cholera treatment centre (CTC) converted from the Children’s Outpatient Ward at Boram was only temporary until they get funds for a more permanent centre.
Dr Samiak said at the moment, they could not do much but the cases were manageable by looking at the rates each day.
He also thanked Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, for their efforts and providing training for the nurses at the hospital.