The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that Lagos State is at the epicenter of a significant cholera outbreak in Nigeria. According to the latest data on the NCDC website, Lagos State registered 104 new cases in week 25 out of the country’s total of 113 reported cases for the week.
The NCDC noted that the outbreak has 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.
Over the past month, Lagos State alone has 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.
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 most affected age groups are 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,” the NCDC stated. “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).
