Cholera has killed at least 91 Nigerians in 30 weeks, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has stated.
The report obtained showed that the months of January and July recorded the highest number of deaths – 26 and 25 deaths respectively. Others are February (7), March (7), April (1), May (6) and June (6).
A total of 3,610 suspected cases of cholera have been reported from 31 states and 190 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
However, nine states – Taraba (676 cases), Cross River (650), Katsina (378 cases), Borno (340 cases), Kano (318 cases), Ondo (283 cases), Zamfara (178 cases), Bayelsa (144 cases), Bauchi (100 cases) and Adamawa (56 cases) accounted for 87 percent of all cumulative cases.
Findings by The Nation showed that Taraba (676) and Cross River (650) States have the highest number of suspected cases of cholera, while Taraba (28), Borno (13) and Cross River (11) have recorded the highest number of deaths since the beginning of the year.
To curb the spread of the disease, the NCDC stated that response is being coordinated by the national multi-sectoral TWG hosted by it, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Federal Ministry of Environment, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Development Partners in the Health and WASH Sectors.
It also stated that surveillance is ongoing in all states through the routine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) and Event Based Surveillance (EBS). The NCDC is also providing offsite/onsite support to states and follow- up for daily reporting and progress with response activities.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, at a briefing organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja, disclosed that from January 1 to August 14, there have been 530 suspected cases of monkeypox, with 220 confirmed cases and sadly, four deaths from 29 States.
The NCDC report said: “As of 31st July 2022, a total of 3,610 suspected cases including 91 deaths (CFR 2.5 per cent) have been reported from 31 states in 2022.
“Of the suspected cases since the beginning of the year, the age group under five years is the most affected age group for male and female. Of all suspected cases, 49 percent are males and 51 percent are females.”