Nigerian Govt raises alarm over spike in cholera cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has said Nigeria witnessed a significant increase of 128 per cent in cholera cases.

The NCDC said Lagos State recorded 60 per cent of all cases, with Lagos Island being the most affected Local Government Area.

The agency made this known via its official website, saying 7,056 suspected cases were reported as of September 1, compared to 3,096 cases at the same point in 2023

It said that for the epidemiological week 35, the death toll had also risen by 106 per cent with 204 fatalities in 2024.

As of June 24, the country announced a state of emergency on cholera due to a case fatality rate of 3.5 per cent, well above the national expected average of one per cent.

DAILY POST reports that Cholera is a severe diarrhea illness caused by the bacterium, Vibrio cholera, which remains a significant health challenge, especially in regions with inadequate sanitation and clean water access.

The Public Health Agency also identified other heavily affected states to include Bayelsa, Katsina, and Zamfara.

The NCDC said that it was intensifying rapid diagnostic testing and stool culture tests to contain the outbreak.

It said that there were ongoing monitoring efforts, and called for increased public awareness and intervention to curb the outbreak.

“Cholera fatality rates slightly improved, dropping to 2.9 percent from 3.2 per cent in 2023. Vulnerable groups, particularly children under five, remain the most affected,” it said.