The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported over 2,100 suspected cases of cholera throughout 33 states in Nigeria, with a three per cent fatality rate. This sharp increase from the 1,579 cases reported a week ago indicates the fast spread of the disease.
As of 30th June 2024, we have recorded a total number of 2,102 suspected cases, 63 deaths across 33 states and 122 LGAs with a case fatality rate of 3 per cent,” NCDC Director General Jide Idris said while speaking to journalists on Tuesday.
According to Idris, 10 states, including Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Delta, account for about 90% of the cases.
Stating that cholera is a highly infectious disease, he attributed the current outbreak to consuming contaminated water and food.
He also identified poor sanitation, inadequate toilet facilities, and lack of safe water as the main impediments to eliminating the disease.
Recall that in the early days of the outbreak, while fatality rates and number of suspected cases were still low, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called on the government to provide clean and safe water to prevent cholera’s spread, reporting that recurring cholera outbreaks in Nigeria had severely affected children and the general population.
However, there has been no response or move by the government to provide clean water or ensure better sanitation even as the death toll and number of cases keep rising daily.
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