Imo State Commissioner for Health, Ngozi Njoku on Tuesday revealed that not less than 30 children have died from a fresh outbreak of diarrhoea when she received a delegation from the Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited.
The disease, she said, is relatively common in the 637 autonomous communities in the state due to absence of potable water.
Hence, residents were compelled to use water from streams and uncertified boreholes for consumption.
Njoku said that the death toll from the outbreak of the deadly disease had risen to 30 in the last few weeks, while several others affected by the scourge were receiving treatment in various hospitals in the state.
She added that four children died last month as a result of the infection in Nekede, in the Owerri West council area.
The commissioner, however, said that 65 suspected cases had been reported in the Ikeduru LGA, while areas like Orlu, Owerri West, Ohaji/Egbema, Owerri North as well as Ngor -Okpala had similarly recorded cases of the dreaded disease in their areas.