Nigeria records 34% decrease in cholera cases, deaths

The latest figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) show that no new state reported cases in Epidemic Week 31. Also, a total of 770 suspected cases were reported last week, representing a 34 per cent decrease compared to 1,162 suspected cases recorded in Week 30.

A further breakdown of the figures released, yesterday, indicated that 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory (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 FCT.

In the reporting week, 10 states reported 774 suspected cases: Zamfara (218), Jigawa (136), Kebbi (100), Niger (99), Katsina (97), Yobe (60), Sokoto (43), Kano (15), Kogi (four) and Adamawa (two). Of this, there were 16 confirmed cases from Yobe (14), Niger (one) and Kebbi (one).

However, according to the NCDC, there were 30 deaths from Niger (10), Katsina (eight), Jigawa (six), Kebbi (two), Kogi (two), Sokoto (one) and Zamfara (one).

The national multi-sectoral Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) activated at Level 02 continues to coordinate the national response.

A summary showed that as at August 8, 2021, a total of 37,819 suspected cases including 1,178 deaths (Case Fatality Ratio – CFR 3.1 per cent) have been reported from 23 states and FCT (Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross River, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, Adamawa, Katsina, Borno, Taraba and FCT) since the beginning of 2021.

Of the reported cases since the beginning of the year, 26 per cent are aged five – 14 years. Of all suspected cases, 51 per cent are males and 49 per cent are females. There has been a decrease in the number of new cases in the last two weeks. Bauchi (773), Niger (284), Zamfara (253) and Katsina (217) account for 78.1 per cent of 1,956 cases reported in the last two weeks (30 and 31).

Response is being coordinated by the national multi-sectoral EOC hosted at NCDC, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and partners.

Currently, Zamfara, Kaduna, Bauchi, Plateau, FCT, Kano, Enugu, Jigawa, Niger, Gombe Sokoto and Katsina State-level EOCs are in response mode.

National Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) with response commodities were deployed by NCDC to support the response in six states – Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Bauchi and Plateau.

There is ongoing surveillance in all states through the routine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), Event Based Surveillance (EBS) and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).