Gastro-enteritis has killed 23 people in Sokoto state while 265 were affected.
The State Commissioner of Health, Dr.Ali Inname, in a press briefing on Tuesday,
said open defecation was the major cause of the fatalities.
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines, typically resulting from bacterial toxins or viral infection and causing vomiting and diarrhoea. It is typically spread by contact with an infected person or through contaminated food or water.
He said the disease resurfaced in 13 local government areas of the state but Gwadabawa was the worst hit.
He said so far it was only rural communities that were affected.
“You know most of the people living in rural areas openly defecate and now we are in a rainy period. That is why their main sources of water became contaminated and the bacteria resurfaced in those areas.
“Another factor was visitation by relatives of the affected patients, this helped in spreading the disease to neighbouring villages” he said.
“So far, we recorded 23 death and 265 people were so far affected,” he said
He however, said that teams of medical workers had been deployed to the areas with enough drugs to treat the patients.
He warned the workers against treating patients at homes.
The affected areas include Rabah, Wurno, Dange Shuni, Kebbe, Gwadabawa, Tangaza, Isa, Bodinga, Wamakko, Silame, Illela, Sabon Birni, and Yabo.
