Nigeria suffers worst cholera outbreak in over 10 years

Nearly 94,000 suspected cases of cholera have been recorded in Nigeria between January and October 2021.

Data compiled by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that suspected infections have been recorded in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since the beginning of the year.

At least 3,293 deaths have been recorded, representing a 3.5% case fatality ratio.

This year's outbreak is the worst in over a decade, according to the Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), an international humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation (NGO).

The organisation said in a publication last week it's working with Nigeria's Ministry of Health to try to control the epidemic.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection, and is typically contracted from food or water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae.

Bauchi has recorded the highest number of cases (19,452) this year, followed by Kano (12,116), Zamfara (11,100), and Jigawa (10,673).

Jigawa has recorded the highest number of deaths (470), followed by Sokoto (410), Kano (368), and Bauchi (323).

Other states that have recorded suspected cholera cases include Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe, Niger, Kaduna, Borno, Plateau, Gombe, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Benue, Delta, Bayelsa, Oyo, Kwara, Ebonyi, Kogi, Enugu, Taraba, Lagos, Abia, Cross River, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti.

Rivers is the only state with suspected cases (46) without any reported deaths.

Nigeria's response to the outbreak is led by the NCDC in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), and other partners.

The response includes the promotion of hygiene, provision of safe water, water chlorination, household disinfection, and sensitisation on dangers of open defecation in high-risk communities.

Some of the challenges limiting the government's response includes inadequate vaccines, and inadequate health facility infrastructure and cholera commodities for management of patients in all affected communities.

Difficulty in accessing some communities due to security concerns, and lack of potable drinking water in rural areas and urban slums have also been significant roadblocks to containing the outbreak.