Nigeria has recorded 65 confirmed cases of Cholera with 30
deaths from 1 January to 11 June across 96 local governments in 30 states, says
the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
NCDC revealed this in a public health advisory published
Thursday to alert the public of the increasing trend of cholera cases across
the country as the rainy season intensifies.
This follows a reported outbreak in Lagos State which
resulted in about 60 hospital admissions and five deaths in 48 hours.
According to the NCDC, a total of 1,141 suspected cases have
been recorded in 2024. Ten states contributed 90 per cent of the total number.
The states are Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi,
Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa and Lagos.
Cholera is a highly contagious food and water-borne disease.
It spreads through direct transmission by eating or drinking contaminated food
or water, and indirect transmission due to poor sanitation and lack of
handwashing.
Symptoms of cholera include acute, painless watery diarrhoea
of sudden onset, with or without vomiting. It may be associated with nausea,
profuse vomiting and fever.
According to the NCDC, severe cases can lead to death within
hours due to dehydration, however, about 80 per cent of people may only show
mild symptoms or have no symptoms at all.
NCDC noted that the disease is easily treatable if detected
early and most infected people can be treated successfully through prompt
administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS), to replace lost fluids and
electrolytes, and appropriate antibiotics.
Prevention
NCDC further noted that cholera can be prevented by ensuring
access to safe, potable drinking water; proper sanitation and waste disposal;
and appropriate hygiene including handwashing.
It noted that raw fruits and vegetables, food from street
vendors, and raw or undercooked seafood should be avoided.
To reduce the risk of cholera, the NCDC advised the public
to “ensure that water is boiled and stored in a clean and covered container
before drinking, practice good personal hand hygiene by washing your hands
frequently with soap under clean running water.
“Use alcohol-based hand sanitiser if soap and clean water
are not available. Ensure that food is well cooked before consumption. Only
consume raw food such as fruits and vegetables, after washing thoroughly with
safe water.”
It also advised against open defecation and indiscriminate
refuse dumping. It urged residents to ensure proper waste disposal and frequent
clearing of sewage.
“If you or anyone you know experiences sudden watery
diarrhoea, please do not self medicate, visit a healthcare facility
immediately,” it noted.
NCDC also advised health workers to always practise standard
safety precautions, which include wearing gloves while handling patients or
providing care to an ill patient/relative.
Government intervention
Leading a multi-sectoral National Cholera Technical Working
Group, NCDC said it has been providing support to the affected states.
NCDC noted that “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.”
The technical working group comprises the Federal Ministries
of Environment and Water Resources, the National Primary Health Care
Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and other partners.