Akin Abayomi, Lagos state commissioner for health, says 25 cases of cholera have been recorded at the Kirikiri medium security prison.

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, spokesperson of the Lagos state ministry of health, quoted the commissioner in a statement on Sunday as saying that urgent interventions have been taken at the prison.

Abayomi noted that while no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the state government is intensifying measures to contain the outbreak.

“However, he reported that a small outbreak of 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis occurred at Kirikiri medium security prison, confirmed to be caused by cholera, adding that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures have been implemented with success,” the statement reads.

The commissioner said there is evidence of ongoing low-grade community transmission, despite the reduction in new daily cases and deaths in the state.

He advised the public on safety measures and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms develop.

“We were able to supply Kirikiri medium prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention, and other health consumables,” Abayomi said.

“Additionally, the World Health Organisation has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals which have been delivered to the prison to support prison health facilities with prevention strategies for about 3,200 inmates if required.

“Immediate water and sanitation issues have been corrected, and there are ongoing inspections of other correctional facilities in the state.”

Abayomi said the outbreak has been traced to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supplies.

He added that many of the samples taken from popular street beverages purchased by undercover environmental officers showed the presence of Vibrio cholera bacteria, which is the cause of cholera.

“All of the containers had no NAFDAC accreditation numbers, indicating they are small cottage backyard informal production units,” he said.

“Identifying the precise location of manufacture has proven difficult, and the directorate of environmental health is planning to seal any such unregulated manufacture and make arrests of anybody involved with the manufacture or distribution of beverages without NAFDAC numbers.”