Abakalaiki — At least 10 persons were feared dead following a fresh cholera outbreak that ravaged Ndibokote village in Ezza-Inyimagu, Agbaja Autonomous Community of Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State.

Confirming the incident, the State's Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, revealed that more than 20 other persons from the area have been hospitalised for suspected cholera infection.

He said the infected persons were rushed to three hospitals in the area by the state government in collaboration with the local government authorities and health partners.

The health facilities where the patients were receiving treatment include; Sudan United Mission Hospital, Onuenyim Agbaja; Sudan United Mission Hospital in Izziogo, and Izziogo Health Centre.

The Commissioner blamed the outbreak on poor hygienic practices by the people. He urged them to adopt good hygienic practices such as stoppage of open defecation, washing their hands regularly, covering their food and drinking clean water.

Dr. Ekuma urged the people to report to the nearest hospital once they started having symptoms symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.

He said the Ministry got the information on Wednesday morning and quickly scrambled a team of medical professionals in conjunction with World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to the area.

"We have enough drugs to treat infected persons. We also plan to open another health centre in the affected community for easy access so as to curtail the outbreak and we have made available cars and motorcycles for easy evacuation of suspected infected persons to the hospitals," he added.

Reacting to the development, the chairman of Izzi local government area council, Barr. Stephen Nwankpa, thanked the state government for the swift response, which he noted saved the lives of many infected persons.