Hadejia (Jigawa) – Commissioner for Health in Jigawa, Dr Tafida Abubakar, on Wednesday said an outbreak of gastroenteritis in Hadejia community in Hadejia Local Government Area had claimed seven lives.

Abubakar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)) in Hadejia that the deaths were recorded on Monday and Tuesday.

He disclosed that no fewer than 306 persons were also affected by the disease and had been treated at the General Hospital in the community.

He said that treatment of the affected persons was provided free by the state government, adding that efforts were being made to put the situation under control.

“The disease is caused by bacterial infection from consumption of contaminated water,” he said, adding however, that sample of faeces of some affected persons had been taken for laboratory analysis to ascertain the cause of the epidemic.

Abubakar also said that the state government had set up a technical committee, comprising representatives of the ministries of Health, Water Resources and Environment to investigate the outbreak.

He added that the government had also directed total replacement of old water pipes and upgrade of the reticulation system in Hadejia to avert future occurrence of the incident.

He stated that the Ministry of Health had sensitised inhabitants of Hadejia and other communities in the area on personal hygiene and sanitation as measures of controlling the spread of the disease. (NAN)