LAGOS, Jan. 22 (Chinese media) -- An outbreak of a disease suspected to be gastroenteritis has claimed an unofficial figure of 15 lives in Ndiagu-Amagu village in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi this month, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Thursday.
Sunday Nwangele, state commissioner for health announced on Wednesday in Abakaliki that six of the dead were male and nine female including five children.
He attributed the outbreak, which infected some 120 persons, to intake of contaminated water following the breakdown of the three boreholes in the area.
According to him, people had been sensitized to using water from other safe sources for drinking while the boreholes were being repaired.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Steve Orogwu, said adequate provisions were made in the 2009 budget to contain disease outbreaks.
Orogwu stressed the need for people to keep their environment clean.
Local media last week reported that at least 41 children died of gastroenteritis in another community in southeastern Nigeria's Ebonyi State.
The disease was said to have started some weeks ago and have gradually grown into epidemic with children between one to ten being the mostly affected, with some in critical condition.
Gastroenteritis is an infection of stomach and intestine. The most common symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.
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