As of July 15, 2024, Nigeria has recorded 103 deaths from 3,623 suspected cases of cholera across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The outbreak has affected 187 Local Government Areas (LGAs), with Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Ebonyi, Katsina, and Zamfara states collectively representing 83% of the total cases.
Despite the severity of the outbreak, there has been a decline in both cases and fatalities since its onset earlier this year. In June alone, there were 30 deaths reported from 1,141 suspected cases across 96 LGAs in 30 states. By June 23, the numbers had risen to 53 deaths from 1,528 suspected cases.
NCDC Director General, Jide Idris, provided an update on Tuesday, July 16, noting that the cumulative case fatality rate since the beginning of the year stands at 2.8%. Children aged five and younger are the most affected demographic, with males constituting 52% of the cases. Despite challenges, there was a 5.6% decrease in reported cases from July 8 to 14 compared to the previous week.
Idris attributed the improvement to collaborative efforts among stakeholders and favorable weather conditions. However, he cautioned that the peak of the outbreak might coincide with the height of the rainy season, which is still weeks away. He acknowledged underreporting from some states due to insufficient surveillance resources and political stigma associated with cholera.
To combat the outbreak, the NCDC is implementing a national incident action plan, strengthening laboratory capacities, prepositioning cholera management supplies, and intensifying healthcare worker training. Rapid response teams have been deployed to the six most affected states, with plans for further expansion.
Idris assured that the NCDC remains dedicated to leading the national response and aims to reduce the case fatality rate to below the global target of 1%.
