Cholera outbreak in Nigeria sees alarming 220% spike in suspected cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the cholera outbreak in Nigeria has seen a sharp increase in 2024, with suspected cases rising by an alarming 220 per cent.

The NCDC, on its official website, said this was according to the latest epidemiological report.

The Nigerian Public Health Agency said that by the end of epidemiological week 39, the country had recorded 10,837 suspected cases and 359 deaths.

It said the figure represented a 239 per cent increase in fatalities compared to 2023.

It said the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for the year stood at 3.3 per cent, slightly higher than the 3.1 per cent recorded in the previous year.

“In the past week alone, 198 new suspected cases were reported across five states, leading to 15 deaths and a weekly CFR of 7.6 per cent.

Cholera spread across the states

“The states most affected by the outbreak during week 39 include Adamawa (131 cases), Ebonyi (30 cases), Borno (29 cases), Kano (7 cases), and Jigawa (1 case).

“Adamawa continues to be a hotspot, with 535 suspected cases reported in the past month,” it said.

The agency said that since the beginning of 2024, Lagos State had reported the highest number of suspected cholera cases, contributing 43 per cent of the national total.

It said that Lagos Island Local Government Area (LGA) accounted for five per cent of the country’s overall cases.

“Lagos Island LGA is particularly hard-hit, contributing five per cent of all suspected cases nationwide.

“Stool cultures have been employed to monitor the situation, with 254 Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) conducted, yielding 175 positive results, and 149 stool cultures, of which 103 tested positive,” it said.

It said that other states, including Jigawa, Kano, Borno, and Katsina, had also reported significant case numbers, highlighting the widespread nature of the outbreak.

“Jigawa recorded 870 cases, Kano recorded cases, and Borno recorded588 cases,” it said.

The NCDC disclosed that children under five years old were most affected, followed by those aged between five and 14.

It said that the male population represented 52 per cent of the total suspected cases, with females making up 48 per cent.

The NCDC report underscores the need for continued vigilance and response efforts, as the outbreak shows no signs of slowing.

What NCDC is doing to curtail the spread

The agency said it has activated a national multi-sectoral Cholera Technical Working Group to monitor and respond to outbreaks across states.

It stressed the importance of improving sanitation, access to clean water, and public health education to curb the spread of the disease.

“Efforts are ongoing to strengthen health systems and enhance surveillance in high-risk areas,” it said.

The agency urged the public to report suspected cholera cases and adhere to preventive measures, including proper handwashing and safe food handling, to reduce transmission.

Meanwhile, according to the NCDC, in communities affected by the outbreak of the infectious disease, open defecation is a common practice.

It said the practice continued to pose a challenge to the country’s effort to curb the spread of cholera.

The agency also highlighted the poor access to potable water, sanitation and WASH supplies.

It said that lack of drinking water in some rural areas and urban slums; and water shortage leading to reliance on people selling water in Jerry cans were also responsible for the spread,

“There is also inadequate WASH infrastructure and supplies including wastewater management facilities,” it said

The NCDC also said that the shortage of skilled personnel in states impeded efforts to ensure effective case management.

Challenges facing NCDC in curbing cholera spread

As part of the challenges affecting the effort to curb the spread, the agency highlighted the absence of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials at the community level.

It also cited the poor access to consumables and supplies for case management.

“No IEC materials at the community level, inadequate consumables and supplies for case management, inadequate logistics for active case search, thus insufficient active case search in the communities,” the report reads.

With cholera cases already far exceeding last year’s numbers, there is a growing concern that the outbreak could worsen if immediate action is not taken.

Public health experts are calling for enhanced intervention strategies and continuous community engagement to combat this deadly disease.

For more information and updates on the cholera situation, the public is encouraged to visit the NCDC website or contact the toll-free helpline.

Global spread of cholera

Meanwhile, cholera outbreaks in the Middle East, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa are spreading globally and becoming more deadly.

According to a new analysis by the World Health Organization, deaths from diarrheal disease soared last year, far outpacing the rise in cases.

Although cholera is easy to prevent and costs little to treat, large outbreaks have overwhelmed even well-prepared health systems in countries that had not faced the disease in years.

Globally, the number of cholera deaths reported last year increased by 71 per cent compared to 2022, while reported cases rose by 13 per cent.

The WHO report attributed much of the increase to conflict and climate change.

About cholera

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection spread through contaminated food and water. Communities with limited access to sanitation are most affected.

Conflict, climate change, inadequate safe water and sanitation, poverty, underdevelopment, and population displacement due to emerging and re-emerging conflicts and disasters from natural hazards all contribute to the rise in cholera outbreaks.

(NAN)