..Affects 65,145 Nigerians
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control, (NCDC), has announced a total of 65,145 suspected cases of cholera including 2,141 deaths, a Case Fatality Rate, (CFR), of 3.3 percent have been reported from 23 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as of Sept. 2, 2021.
NCDC disclosed this on its Cholera Situation Weekly Epidemiological report, via its official website.
The report indicated there was a 62% decrease in the number of new suspected cases in week 33 (2,127) compared with week 32 (3,098).
Bauchi (855), Katsina (396) and Kano (306) account for 73.2% of 2,127 suspected cases reported in week 34. It noted that the most affected age group since the beginning of 2021 is 5 – 14 years for both male and female. It further said that the overall infection rate was distributed in the ratio of 51% males and 49% were females.
“Twenty-three States and FCT have reported suspected cholera cases in 2021. These are Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross-River, Nasarawa, Niger, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Adamawa, Enugu, Katsina, Borno, Taraba and the FCT.
“In the reporting week, 16 States plus FCT reported 2,127 suspected cases – Bauchi (855), Katsina (396), Kano (306), Yobe (162), Zamfara (80), Niger (78), Borno (67), Sokoto (45), Kaduna (41), Gombe (21), FCT (18), Kebbi (17), Adamawa (15), Taraba (13), Nasarawa (10), Plateau (2) and Jigawa (1),” the NCDC said.
According to it, of the suspected cases, there were 32 Rapid Diagnoses Test, (RDT), confirmed cases from Adamawa (11), Katsina (8), Kaduna (7), Borno (4), Taraba (1) and Yobe (1). There were 32 culture-confirmed cases from Yobe, (12), Adamawa (11), Katsina (8) and Borno (1).
The public health agency added that of the cases reported, there were 48 deaths from Bauchi (10), Kano (7), Katsina (6), Taraba (5), Zamfara (4), Sokoto (4), Borno (4), Niger (3), Nasarawa (2), Kebbi (1), Yobe (1) and Kaduna (1) States with a CFR of 2.3%.
“No new State reported cases in epi week-34”, it further clarified, adding that the national multi-sectoral EOC activated at level 2 continues to coordinate the national response.
Cholera is a waterborne disease, and the risk of transmission is higher when there is poor sanitation and disruption of clean water supply.
Cholera is also preventable and treatable; however, it can be deadly when people who are infected do not access care immediately.
The long-term solution for its control lies in access to safe drinking water, maintenance of proper sanitation and hygiene.
