Lagos State is at the center of a major cholera outbreak in Nigeria, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The latest data on the NCDC website indicates that as of week 25, Lagos State reported 104 new cases out of the country’s total of 113 cases for the week.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that cholera is a severe diarrheal illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera.
The NCDC stated that the outbreak resulted in seven deaths nationwide, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.1 percent in Lagos State.
Ogun State reported seven cases, while Katsina had one case.
The NCDC noted that in the past month, Lagos State alone reported 533 suspected cholera cases, contributing significantly to the country’s total of 576 cases.
Other states with reported cases include Ogun (19), Rivers (9), Katsina (8), Oyo (2), Abia (2), Bayelsa (2), and Sokoto (1).
The month also saw 32 deaths across the country, with a CFR of 5.6 percent, significantly higher than the national expected average of one percent, highlighting the severity of the situation.
The NCDC mentioned that efforts to diagnose and control the outbreak included 217 Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT), of which 17 were positive, and 232 stool culture tests, with 28 positive results.
The National Multi-sectoral Cholera Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to oversee and coordinate response efforts across the affected states.
As of June 23, 2024, Nigeria has reported a total of 1,579 suspected cholera cases and 54 deaths (CFR 3.4 percent) across 32 states.
The age groups most affected were children under five years old, followed by those aged five to 14 years, with an equal distribution between males and females.
“Lagos State leads with 537 cases, accounting for 34 percent of the national total.
“In Bayelsa State, Southern Ijaw LGA reported 151 cases, making up 10 percent of the country’s total.
“Other significantly affected states include Bayelsa (466), Abia (109), Zamfara (64), Bauchi (46), Katsina (45), Cross River (43), Ebonyi (38), Rivers (37), Delta (34), Imo (28), Ogun (21), Nasarawa (19), Ondo (17), Kano (13), Niger (11), and Osun (11),” it said.
Notably, the NCDC mentioned a 37 percent decrease in suspected cholera cases compared to the same period in 2023, with a 21 percent reduction in cumulative deaths in 2024. (NAN)
