by ‘Jola Sotubo

According to reports, a fresh cholera epidemic has taken hold in the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State and has so far claimed 34 lives.

This was disclosed in a report made by indigenes of the area to the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Leadership News reports:

 A resident, Faruk Sarki Abdullahi who also lost his younger one, told BBC Hausa Service that since the infection started early this month, it is spreading to other communities despite the measures taken by the state government.

 “Outbreak of the disease is as a result of paucity of potable water in the affected areas,” he said.

 LEADERSHIP gathered that no fewer than 130 lives were lost in the state since early this month, and that due to water scarcity in the area, the residents had to consume water from local ponds which happened to be contaminated.

 In his interview with BBC Hausa Service monitored by LEADERSHIP, the state commissioner of health, Alhaji Kabiru Janyau, said that the state government was only aware of 50 death cases since the disease erupted.

 “The state government is trying its best to providing potable water and Ministry of Health also dispatched teams of medical officers to the affected areas to provide free medication to the affected persons,” he said.

 “Médecins Sans Frontières is also there trying it best in controlling the situation,” he added.