The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), on Thursday, reported that the death toll from the cholera outbreak has risen to 378 while 14,237 persons have been infected with the disease since the beginning of 2024.
The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this while giving an update on the ongoing response to infectious disease outbreaks and other events of public health.
Idris said the 14,237 cases were reported from across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), spanning 339 local government areas. According to him, cholera remains a public health threat, particularly in areas with inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems, adding that the NCDC, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, has been working to mitigate the spread of the disease and save lives.
Quoting Idris, “This is a pattern we anticipated, having foreseen the risks through data and advisories provided by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET). The floods in the northern states such as Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe, and Kano have exacerbated the spread of cholera, making these states the current epicenters of the outbreak.”
He further revealed that earlier this year, the cholera cases were concentrated in southern states as the rains began there, but a shift has been recorded with northern states now accounting for a significant portion of cases.
He added that the number of suspected cholera cases and deaths in 2024 has doubled, compared to this time last year.
He said, “These numbers reflect the severity of the outbreak and reinforce the need for continuous vigilance and action. It also underscores the developmental issues that should be addressed both at the national and sub-national levels with improved commitment towards addressing challenges relating to inadequate access to clean water, open defecation, poor environmental sanitation, food and personal hygiene.’’
