By Theophilous Ochang

The Governor of Eastern Equatoria state, Louis Lobong Lojore, has urged citizens to be cautious and adhere to health measures as suspected cholera cases claimed three lives in Ikotos County on Saturday.

The governor made the statement while addressing a congregation at Saint Peters and Paul Cathedral Parish at the Catholic Diocese of Torit in Eastern Equatoria State.

Lobong said citizens must listen carefully to the advice from health professionals in a bid to tame the disease.

“There is an outbreak of Cholera in Ikotos County and there are already three lives lost. So, that’s another attack that is a wake-up call for us to be cautious and listen to the advises from the health professionals because it can easily spread and attack anybody, anytime, anywhere,” Governor Lobong advised. 

Last weekend, authorities in Ikotos County reported that at least three people, including a woman, died of suspected cholera cases while 14 others were admitted.

According to health authorities, the suspected cholera cases were all recorded from Logire village of Imotong Payam in Ikotos County. 

The county health officials said a high number of suspected cholera cases were all recorded in one week.

The state officials said samples from the three were taken to Juba Public Health Laboratory for screening to ascertain the disease, even as they suspected that the infection may have crossed from the Agoro of Lamwo District in Northern Uganda.

On January 15, the Daily Monitor reported that one person had been confirmed dead due to cholera and several others were admitted to Agoro Health Centre III in Lamwo District.

At the time, a situation report from the Lamwo District Health taskforce indicated that 53 people had been discharged from the health facility, while nine cases remained active but in stable states.