According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, there has been a sharp 220 per cent increase in suspected cholera cases in Nigeria in 2024 compared to previous years.
“In the past week alone, 198 new suspected cases were reported across five states, leading to 15 deaths and a weekly CFR of 7.6 per cent.
“The states most affected by the outbreak during week 39 include Adamawa (131 cases), Ebonyi (30 cases), Borno (29 cases), Kano (7 cases), and Jigawa (1 case).
“Adamawa continues to be a hotspot, with 535 suspected cases reported in the past month,” it said.
The outbreak is mainly attributed to factors such as conflict, climate change, inadequate sanitation, poverty, and population displacement.
“Lagos Island LGA is particularly hard-hit, contributing five per cent of all suspected cases nationwide.
“Stool cultures have been employed to monitor the situation, with 254 Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) conducted, yielding 175 positive results, and 149 stool cultures, of which 103 tested positive,” it said.
By the end of epidemiological week 39, Nigeria had recorded 10,837 suspected cases and 359 deaths, representing a 239 per cent increase in fatalities compared to the previous year. The most affected states during this period were Adamawa, Ebonyi, Borno, Kano, and Jigawa.
“No IEC materials at the community level, inadequate consumables and supplies for case management, inadequate logistics for active case search, thus insufficient active case search in the communities,” the report reads.
Children under five years old were the most affected group, with males representing 52 per cent of the cases. Due to challenges such as open defecation, poor access to clean water, and lack of sanitation facilities, the spread of cholera continues to be a significant concern in Nigeria.
The NCDC has activated a national Cholera Technical Working Group to respond to outbreaks and is emphasizing the importance of improving sanitation, access to clean water, and public health education to control the disease.
Public health experts are urging immediate action to combat the outbreak and calling for enhanced intervention strategies and continuous community engagement to prevent further spread.
