The latest data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) have indicated that Lagos State is at the centre of a significant cholera outbreak in Nigeria.
As of week 25, Lagos State registered 104 new cases out of the country’s total of 113 reported cases for the week. The outbreak has resulted in seven deaths nationwide, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.1per cent in Lagos State.
In the past month, the nation’s commercial capital 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).
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) is overseeing and coordinating 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 3.4per cent) 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 per cent of the national total. Bayelsa State, particularly Southern Ijaw LGA, reported 151 cases, making up 10 per cent 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).
Notably, there has been a 37 per cent decrease in suspected cholera cases compared to the same period in 2023, with a 21 per cent reduction in cumulative deaths in 2024.
