The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced that the cholera outbreak has spread to 187 local government areas across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with a total of 3,623 suspected cases and 103 deaths as of July 15, 2024.
According to the Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, the cumulative case fatality rate stands at 2.8 per cent since the beginning of the year, with males accounting for 52 per cent of cases and females accounting for the rest. The predominant age affected is five years old.
While there has been a 5.6 per cent decline in the number of cases in the past week, Dr. Idris warned that the trend analysis from previous outbreaks shows that the peak of the outbreak usually coincides with the peak of the rainy season, which is still to come.
He also expressed concern over the underreporting of cases, citing inadequate resources to support surveillance and disease detection activities at the subnational level. Additionally, he noted that political undertones may be contributing to the underreporting, as some see cholera as a stigma or disease proxy indicator for the inability of affected communities to access basic amenities like potable water.
The NCDC is actively responding to the outbreak, and Dr. Idris emphasized that the Federal Government is committed to addressing the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.
