The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 1,598 suspected cases of cholera across 107 local government areas.
The severity of the cholera outbreak is shown by the fact that the case fatality rate, which stands at 3.5%, is considerably higher than the national norm of 1%.
On Monday, June 23, 2024, in Abuja, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this information while giving a status report on the cholera epidemic condition in Nigeria and the current national and subnational prevention and response initiatives.
He emphasized that the deaths constituted profound losses in terms of personal relationships, including those of parents, spouses, family members, and medical personnel.
“This situation can be compounded as the rainy season intensifies,” he added.
He disclosed that Lagos State accounted for the highest number of deaths with 29, followed by Rivers with eight, Abia and Delta with four each, Katsina with three, Bayelsa with two, and Kano, Nasarawa, and Cross River with one each.
“Sixteen states accounted for 90 percent of the confirmed cases, with Lagos being the epicenter of the outbreak.”
He said an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been activated to coordinate national efforts to tackle the disease,
According to him, the EOC would oversee the national reaction, especially in the impacted states, to stop the spread of the disease, lessen its effects, and address any socioeconomic issues.
He clarified that the NCDC conducted preventative and response activities in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including the prepositioning and distribution of medical supplies for case treatment, infection prevention and control, and laboratory diagnostics, through the National Cholera Technical Working Group.
Additionally, he urged state governors to provide more assistance and resources to help control the spread in their states.
He went on to say a concerted reaction is desperately needed to stop the crisis from getting worse.
