The people of Kogi State Government have been urged to keep maintaining good personal hygiene to prevent an outbreak of Cholera in the state.
Acting General Manager (GM) Sanitation and Waste Management Board, Sanitarian Ajayi James Olufemi gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja.
Sanitarian Olufemi said Nigeria has recorded cases of Cholera outbreak in thirty one states of the Federation, resulting to death of citizens particularly the young stars.
He explained that the guidelines offered by the World Health Organization for its prevention must be followed and appealed to the people to maintain personal hygiene to enable the State remain free from the outbreak.
The Acting GM also advised the public to avoid eating food not properly cooked, those exposed to flies emphasing that basic sanitation and hygiene practices including proper waste disposal must be strictly followed.
Sanitarian Olufemi also appealed to the public to report suspected cases to hospital of health care facilities in their areas noting that the symptoms exhibited by those infected among others includes: diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of water in mouth as well as rapid heartbeat.
He assured that the State Sanitation and Waste Management Board will continue to sensitive the public about the outbreak and warned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse at the road shoulders and divides and violation of other sanitation laws.
Sanitarian Olufemi maintained that the sanitation laws will soon come into effect through the setting up of mobile courts to prosecute Sanitation offenders.
He thanked Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for appointing the current Commissioner for Environment, Engineer Joseph Stephen Olusegun whom he described as a workaholic individual with deep experience on environmental laws and beautification.