NCDC: 3,623 suspected cholera cases, 103 deaths recorded in 34 states

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says 3,623 suspected cases of cholera and 103 deaths have been recorded in Nigeria.

Giving the update at a press briefing on Tuesday, Jide Idris, NCDC director-general (DG), said the cases and deaths were recorded across 187 LGAs in 34 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) as of July 15.

Idris added that there has been a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8 percent since the beginning of the year.

“The predominant age affected is five years old, while males account for 52 percent of cases and females account for the rest,” he said.

“Furthermore, there was a 5.6 percent decline in the number of cases in this reporting week (8th–14th July) as compared to the preceding week. We also recorded a drop in the case fatality rate from 2.9 percent to 2.8 percent.

“There is a decline in the case fatality rate from week 24, when the spike started, to the present week.

“Whereas ongoing current efforts at the national and some state levels might have been yielding some results and largely responsible for the decline being reported, however, given the trend from previous years, we know it is not uhuru yet.

“The trend analysis from previous outbreaks shows the peak of the outbreak usually coincides with the peak of the rainy season, which is still some weeks ahead.

“Also, some of the northern traditional hotspot states have been reporting fewer number of cases, which may be connected with the delayed onset of the rainy season in this part of the country.”

The NCDC DG said there is an underreporting of the situation because required data from the states is not coming in real-time.

“This is largely due to inadequate resources to support surveillance and disease detection activities at the subnational level,” he said.