The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said the country has recorded 1,307 suspected cases of cholera across 30 states and 98 Local Government Areas.

The Director General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, who stated this at the national health security press briefing in Abuja, added that the country also recorded 34 cholera-associated deaths, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate of 2.6 per cent, which is above the target of less than one per cent.

According to him, cholera remains endemic in Nigeria, particularly in communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation, and it is a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and can be fatal without prompt and adequate treatment.

He warned that as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season, a concerning trend in cholera transmission is emerging.

“The proactive dissemination of localized flood risk data is expected to drive coordinated action at the federal, state, and community levels, ensuring timely interventions that can help prevent waterborne disease outbreaks like cholera. NCDC is actively tracking these occurrences.

“As of epidemiological week 16 (ending 20 April 2025), 1,307 suspected cases of cholera have been reported across 30 states and 98 Local Government Areas (LGAs), with 34 associated deaths, resulting in a CFR of 2.6 per cent. This rate is well above our target of less than one per cent,” he said.

Cholera is a food and water-borne disease, caused by the ingestion of the organism Vibrio Cholerae in contaminated water and food.

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Water is usually contaminated by the faeces 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.

Beverages prepared with contaminated water and sold by street vendors, ice, and commercially bottled water have been implicated as vehicles of transmission, as have cooked vegetables and fruits freshened with untreated wastewater.

The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms (incubation period) is two hours to five 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.

Idris pointed out that the people most at risk of cholera are people of all ages living in places with limited access to clean water, people living in areas with poor sanitation and poor hygiene, people living in slum areas where basic water or sanitation infrastructure is missing, people living in rural areas who depend on surface water or unsafe piped or borehole well water sources for drinking, people who consume potentially contaminated food or fruits without washing and cooking properly, and people who do not perform hand hygiene at appropriate times

He added other risk factors are man-made or natural disasters like floods, resulting in population movements and overcrowded refugee camps, relatives who care for sick people with cholera at home, and healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and other health workers who provide direct patient care in the absence of standard precautions.

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“The symptoms of cholera include acute profuse, painless watery diarrhoea (characteristic 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 per cent) 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, to replace lost fluids and electrolytes, and appropriate antibiotics. The ORS solution is a powder that can be reconstituted in boiled or bottled water. Cholera can be deadly when infected people do not access care immediately.

“Cholera can be prevented through ensuring access to safe, potable drinking water; proper sanitation and waste disposal; and appropriate hygiene including handwashing. Raw fruits and vegetables, food from street vendors, and raw or undercooked seafood should be avoided,” he added.

He advised the public to reduce the risk of cholera, by ensuring that water is boiled and stored in a clean and covered container before drinking, practising good personal hand hygiene, using alcohol-based hand sanitiser, and ensuring that food is well cooked before consumption, avoiding open defecation, and indiscriminate refuse dumping.

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He advised health workers to play a vital role in detecting and managing cholera cases by adhering strictly to the infection prevention and control protocols, reporting suspected cases to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, and educating patients and community members about preventive practices.

He also advised State Governments to prioritize action for solutions that ensure access to and use of safe water, basic sanitation, and proper hygiene practices in communities.

“To ensure readiness and early control, the NCDC is implementing cholera readiness workshops in the South-West and North-west to enhance preparedness and response capacity. Similar ones are planned for the South-south, North-east, and North-central zones of the country in May.

“Treatment protocols disseminated to all states, prepositioned response commodities (cholera test kits etc.) with appropriate training, 134 Local Government Areas classified as hotspots have been prioritized for multisectoral intervention, including potential RRT deployment; risk communication materials reviewed and updated and airing to commence immediately. 36 plus one states are currently being assessed for readiness for cholera outbreaks.

“While new cholera cases remain relatively low, their spread across 30 states amid the rainy season underscores the need for sustained vigilance. We call for intensified multisectoral collaboration especially in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene to prevent further transmission and reduce mortality,” he said.

He added that the agency remains committed to leading a coordinated national response, working closely with state governments and partners to ensure timely support and regular updates.