This brings the death toll in the outbreak to 18 as the disease spreads to three local government areas in the state.
Five more people have been confirmed dead in the cholera outbreak ravaging communities in Ebonyi State, South-east of Nigeria.
The recent deaths were recorded at the Ndiagu Okpo-Itumo community in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner for Health in Ebonyi, Moses Ekuma, confirmed the latest deaths in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.
Mr Ekuma, a medical doctor, said the outbreak had been curtailed with the quick intervention of the state government, development partners and local government officials.
He outlined the efforts made by the Ministry of Health, the development partners, and the Abakaliki Area Council, including the stakeholders, to curtail the disease and urged the people not to panic.
Mr Ekuma disclosed that the affected people at different activated treatment centres were responding to treatment.
"So Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, the Council Chairman of Abakaliki Local Government, the Ebonyi State Rapid Response team and other stakeholders moved immediately to that Community, and the outbreak as we speak has been curtailed.
"So there is no need for Ebonyians to panic. Presently, we have not had new cases. The ones we have now are the ones that are in the treatment centres," Mr Ekuma said.
He maintained that cholera is an oral disease, not an airborne one. He advised people to observe personal and environmental hygiene and report suspected cases for prevention and treatment.
He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring the good health and well-being of Ebonyi residents.
This brings to 18 the number of deaths recorded in the state from the recent outbreak of the disease.
Ten people earlier died in Ndibokote community in the neighbouring Izzi Local Government Area.
The death toll would later rise to 13 from the affected patients even as the disease would later spread to three other villages in the area.
So far, the disease has spread to three local government areas -- Ebonyi, Izzi, and Abakaliki -- all in Ebonyi North District.
