At least five people have reportedly died following a suspected cholera outbreak in Gwagwa community, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while several others are receiving treatment at private health facilities.
The outbreak, which reportedly began on Monday, November 9, has raised concerns among residents as more people continue to develop symptoms associated with the disease.
Residents disclosed that the deceased were buried at a community cemetery on Wednesday. Two of the victims were identified as Muhammad Danlami and Abbati Gambo.
Findings indicate that affected residents have been taken to private health facilities, including Capital Clinic, Crown Clinic and Ngozi Clinic, where several patients are receiving medical attention.
A nursing staff member at Ngozi Clinic disclosed that about nine patients had been admitted since the outbreak began. However, no death had been recorded at the facility as of Wednesday, while none of the admitted patients had been discharged.
A resident, Samson Okoroafor, also revealed that three of his children contracted the illness almost simultaneously. He said one was receiving treatment at Capital Clinic, another was at Ngozi Clinic, while the third was being cared for at home because he could not afford hospital treatment for all three.
The affected patients reportedly exhibited symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and severe weakness, with some requiring intravenous fluids to combat dehydration.
Meanwhile, residents have expressed concerns over the community’s water supply, linking the suspected outbreak to unsafe water sources.
According to some residents, Gwagwa has been without running water for more than two months, while several boreholes have stopped functioning due to inadequate electricity supply. They added that the cost of purchasing water from vendors, who reportedly sell a 20-litre container for ₦300, has become difficult for many low-income households.
Reacting to the development, the FCT Epidemiologist, Dr Lawal Lukman Ademola, confirmed that health authorities had received alerts about the reported cases and commenced investigations to establish the situation.
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He said officials were on their way to the community to verify the reports, adding that the FCT Administration would provide an official update after its investigation.
The authorities are expected to communicate their findings within 24 hours.
As investigations continue, residents remain concerned about the spread of the suspected disease and are calling for urgent attention to the community’s water and sanitation challenges.
The outbreak has not yet been officially confirmed as cholera by the FCT health authorities.
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