Kebbi state government has confirmed an outbreak of gastroentritis in four local government areas following the contamination of water sources due to recent flooding in the state.
The flood had rendered many people homeless, destroyed farm produce and other property and contaminated potable water sources.
The Director, Community Health in the state Ministry of Health, Muhammad-Abdullahi Bubuce said on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi that 328 people were affected.
According to him, the ministry had taken measures to arrest the situation, in order to curb further spread of the disease.
“From the reports we received so far, 328 persons have been infected with the disease but the worse hit areas are; Kalgo, Sakaba, Maiyama and Suru local government areas.
“For now, we have enough medicine in stock to take care of patients especially those whose sickness has not deteriorated.
“I want to appeal to people to prioritise personal and environmental hygiene and ensure that every house has a toilet for use as against passing out stool in the bush.
“Once we do not provide toilets in our houses, our environment will continue to contaminate, hence the need to adhere to this advise,” Bubuce said.
Although some of the victims were reported to have died, the director declined to give figures.
Some of the victims who recovered said they were forced to use the contaminated water for their daily activities because they had no alternative source to clean water.
