The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has said six states, Cross River (397), Zamfara (25), Ebonyi (11), Abia (9), Bayelsa (3) and Kano (2), reported 447 suspected cholera cases in weeks five to nine of 2023.
The NCDC, via its official website, yesterday, however, said 12 states have reported suspected cholera cases since the beginning of 2023 – Abia, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara.
The agency said as of March 5, a total of 922 suspected cases, including 32 deaths (CFR 3.5 per cent ) were reported from the 12 states, including Cross River (16), Ebonyi (six), Abia (six), Niger (two), Zamfara (one) and Bayelsa (one).
The NCDC’s epidemiological report showed that of all the cases recorded since the beginning of 2023, Cross River accounted for 70 per cent of the cumulative cases across the country, with its 647 cases.
It said Cross River’s 16 deaths, accounted for 50 per cent of all cholera deaths in the country.
It said the National multi-sectoral Cholera Technical Working Group (TWG) has continued to monitor responses across states.
It said of the suspected cases since the beginning of 2023, the age group above 45 years is the most affected for males and females.
The NCDC said that of all suspected cases, 54 per cent were males and 46 per cent were females.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), defined cholera as an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholera bacteria.
The WHO said that people can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.
It said that about one in 10 people with cholera will experience severe symptoms, which, in the early stages, include, profuse watery diarrhoea, sometimes described as “rice-water stools”, vomiting, thirst, leg cramps and restlessness or irritability.