NCDC alerts on cholera outbreak

….As Nigeria records 30 deaths; 1,141 suspected cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has alerted on increasing cholera cases nationwide, with 30 deaths, 1,141 suspected and 65 confirmed cases reported.

Disclosing this in a public advisory, the Director-General of the centre, Dr. Jide Idris, said the cases, which occurred between January and June 11, 2024, were reported from 96 LGAs in 30 states.

He stated that the 10 states that contributed 90 percent to the burden of cholera include Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa and Lagos.

He urged Nigerians to be wary of the increasing trend of cholera cases across the country, as the raining season intensifies.

He said: “An outbreak in Lagos State has recently been reported. From January 1 to June 11, 2024, a total of 1,141 suspected and 65 confirmed cases of cholera with 30 deaths have been reported from 96 LGAs in 30 states.

“The multi-sectoral National Cholera Technical Working Group, led by NCDC and comprising Federal ministries of Environment and Water Resources, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, the World Health Organisation, WHO, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and other partners, has been providing support to the affected states.

“This support includes risk communication, active case search, laboratory diagnosis, case management, provision of response commodities, water sanitation and hygiene, WASH, interventions and dissemination of Cholera awareness jingles in both English and local languages,” he explained.”

He explained that Cholera was a food and water-borne disease, caused by the ingestion of the organism Vibrio Cholerae in contaminated water and food, adding that water was usually contaminated by the faeces of infected individuals.

“Contamination of drinking water can occur at the source, during transportation, or during storage at home. Food may be contaminated by soiled hands, either during preparation or while eating.

“Beverages prepared with contaminated water and sold by street vendors, ice, and even commercial bottled water have been implicated as vehicles of transmission, as have cooked vegetables and fruits freshened with untreated wastewater.”

He listed people at risk to include; people of all ages living in places with limited access to clean water among others.

He explained that disease can be prevented through ensuring access to safe, potable drinking water; proper sanitation and waste disposal; and appropriate hygiene including handwashing.

Idris advised Nigerians to reduce the risk of cholera by ensuring that water is boiled and stored in a clean and covered container before drinking.

He said people should practice good personal hand hygiene by washing your hands frequently with soap under clean running water, ensure that food is well cooked before consumption, avoid open defecation, indiscriminate refuse dumping, ensure proper disposal of waste and frequent clearing of sewage among others.