Cholera: NCDC Records 2,035 Deaths, 58,698 Cases

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

A total of 2,035 deaths through cholera was recorded in the country as of last Friday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed.

According to the latest Cholera epidemic report by the NCDC yesterday, the total number of suspected cases of Cholera infection in the 23 states of the federation was 58,698.

The report disclosed that there was a 44 percent decrease in the number of new suspected cases in week 33 (3098 cases) as compared with week 32 (5476 cases)

The NCDC report stated that, “As at 27th August 2021, a total of 58,698 suspected cases including 2,035 deaths (CFR 3.5 percent) have been reported from 23 states and FCT in 2021.

There was a 44 per cent decrease in the number of new suspected cases in week 33 (3098) compared with week 32 (5476).”

The latest report gave the breakdown of the suspected cases of Cholera as Bauchi (1,145), Katsina (691) and Zamfara (454) account for 73.9 percent of 3,098 suspected cases reported in week 33.

It stated that in the reporting week, “12 states reported 3,098 suspected cases including, Bauchi (1,145), Katsina (691), Zamfara (454), Yobe (216), Sokoto (196), Jigawa (187), Kano (80), Niger (79), Borno (30), FCT (11), Adamawa (6) and Kebbi (3). Of this, there were 35 RDT confirmed cases from Katsina (14), Yobe (7), Adamawa (6), Zamfara (4), Borno (2), Jigawa (1) and FCT (1).”

Also the disease control centre stated that 13 culture confirmed cases were from Yobe (6), Adamawa (6) and FCT (1)

“In addition, there were 63 deaths from Katsina (19), Bauchi (16), Niger (7), Zamfara (6), Jigawa (4), Sokoto (4), Borno (4), Yobe (1), Kano (1) and Adamawa (1) states,” it added.

It further stated that of the suspected cases since the beginning of the year, age group 5 – 14 years was the most affected for both male and female

It further stated that of all suspected cases, 51 per cent were males and 49 per cent were females.

The NCDC further stated that 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT had so far reported suspected cholera cases in 2021.

The states were 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.