Nigeria’s battle against cholera persists as the country struggles with a significant outbreak that has affected multiple states since the beginning of the year. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported alarming figures, shedding light on the extent of the health crisis.
Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the NCDC, addressed the media during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, revealing the latest statistics on the cholera outbreak.
Dr. Idris stated, “Since the start of this year, we have recorded a total of 3,623 suspected cholera cases and 103 deaths across 187 Local Government Areas in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”
The NCDC chief explained that these numbers translate to a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8 percent. However, he noted a slight improvement in recent weeks.
“There was a 5.6 per cent decline in the number of cases in this reporting week (8th -14th July) as compared to the preceding week. We also recorded a drop in the case fatality rate from 2.9 per cent to 2.8 per cent,” Dr. Idris reported.
Despite this minor decline, health officials remain cautious. Dr. Idris pointed out that based on previous outbreaks, the peak of cholera cases typically coincides with the height of the rainy season, which is still several weeks away.
Interestingly, some northern states, traditionally considered hotspots for cholera, have reported fewer cases. Dr. Idris suggested this could be due to the delayed onset of the rainy season in that region.
The NCDC is not only contending with cholera but also monitoring other dangerous diseases.
“Currently, there are three presumptive positive cases which are reported from Ekiti (2) and Bayelsa (1) and one death,” Dr. Idris said, referring to yellow fever cases.
Dr. Idris emphasized the significant role rainfall plays in the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera. He explained that heavy rains can wash pathogens into water bodies, overwhelm sewage systems, and damage water treatment infrastructure, all of which increase the risk of disease transmission.
In response to the outbreak, the NCDC has implemented several measures. These include distributing medical supplies for case management and infection control to medical centers nationwide, providing support to affected states, training laboratory scientists and community mobilizers, and disseminating educational materials on cholera prevention.
As Nigeria continues to battle this health crisis, the NCDC urges citizens to maintain good hygiene practices and seek medical attention promptly if they experience symptoms of cholera, which include acute, profuse, painless, watery diarrhea.
