The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) hereby alerts the public of the increasing trend of cholera cases across the country as the raining season intensifies.
From the 1st of January to the 11th of June 2024, a total of 1,141 suspected and 65 confirmed cases of cholera with 30 deaths have been reported from 96 LGAs in 30 States.
The 10 states that contributed 90% to the burden of cholera include Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa and Lagos States.
On 9 June 2024, the Lagos State Government declared a cholera outbreak. 324 suspected cholera cases (9 confirmed) have been reported in the state, including 15 people who died.
On 12 June, the state government, demonstrating swift action, activated the Rapid Response Teams composed of health, WASH, and risk communication government experts at the level of Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Cholera is a food and water-borne disease, caused by the ingestion of the organism Vibrio Cholerae in contaminated water and food. Water is usually contaminated by the feces of infected individuals. Contamination of drinking water can occur at the source, during transportation, or during storage at home. Food may be contaminated by soiled hands, either during preparation or while eating.
The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms is 2 hours to 5 days. It has a higher risk of transmission in areas that lack adequate sanitation facilities and/or a regular supply of clean water. Unsafe practices such as improper disposal of refuse and open defecation endanger the safety of water used for drinking and personal use.
Symptoms of cholera include acute profuse, painless watery diarrhoea (rice water stools) of sudden onset, with or without vomiting. It may be associated with nausea, profuse vomiting and fever. Severe cases can lead to death within hours due to dehydration (massive body fluid loss). However, most infected people (about 80%) may only show mild symptoms or have no symptoms at all.
The disease is easily treatable if detected early. Most infected people can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS), to replace lost fluids and electrolytes, and appropriate antibiotics.
To reduce the risk of cholera, the NCDC offers the following advice:
• 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 sanitizer 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. After cooking food or boiling water, protect against contamination by flies and unsanitary handling; left over foods should be thoroughly reheated before ingestion. Persons with diarrhoea should not prepare or serve food or haul water for others.
• Avoid open defecation, indiscriminate refuse dumping, ensure proper disposal of waste and frequent clearing of sewage.
• If you or anyone you know experience sudden watery diarrhea, please do not self-medicate, visit a healthcare facility immediately.