The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced on Tuesday that the country has recorded 3,623 suspected cholera cases and 103 deaths across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory as of July 15, 2024.
Addressing the press in Abuja, Dr. Jide Idris, the Director General of the NCDC, disclosed that the outbreak had affected 187 local government areas, resulting in a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8% since the beginning of the year.
Dr. Idris stressed that the predominant age group affected by the outbreak is five-year-olds, with males accounting for 52% of the cases.
“There was a 5.6% decline in the number of cases in the reporting week of July 8th to 14th compared to the previous week,” Dr. Idris said.
“We also recorded a slight drop in the case fatality rate from 2.9% to 2.8%. This decline indicates that the efforts at the national and state levels might be yielding some results, but it is not yet time to celebrate.”
The NCDC’s trend analysis revealed that the peak of cholera outbreaks typically coincides with the peak of the rainy season, which is still a few weeks ahead.
Additionally, some northern states, traditionally hotspots for cholera, have reported fewer cases this year, likely due to the delayed onset of the rainy season.
Dr. Idris noted that while almost all states in Nigeria have reported cholera cases, there appears to be underreporting due to inadequate resources for surveillance and disease detection activities at the subnational level.
He also pointed out the potential political undertones affecting the reporting of cholera cases, as some view the disease as a proxy indicator of the affected communities’ inability to access potable water and other basic amenities.
“This situation is further complicated by the significant increase in the incidence of other epidemic-prone diseases such as Yellow fever, Lassa fever, and meningitis,” Dr. Idris added.
He said despite these challenges, the Federal Government, through the NCDC, has been actively responding to the cholera outbreak to mitigate its impact on public health.
According to him, efforts include heightened surveillance, public health education, and provision of essential supplies to affected areas.
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