The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported a total of 922 suspected cholera cases, including 32 deaths, in 2023. This information appears in the agency’s latest Cholera Situation weekly epidemiological report for week nine, posted on its official website on Tuesday. The report indicates that suspected cases have been recorded in 12 states across 32 local government areas, with a case‑fatality ratio of 3.5 percent.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with *Vibrio cholerae* bacteria. People become ill when they ingest food or water contaminated with the bacteria. While the infection is often mild or asymptomatic, it can sometimes be severe and life‑threatening. According to the World Health Organization, at least 24 countries continue to report cholera cases. Large parts of the world are currently in low or inter‑epidemic transmission periods, so the number of cases could rise in the coming months.
In Nigeria, cholera is endemic and seasonal, occurring annually mainly during the rainy season and more frequently in areas with poor sanitation. The 12 states reporting cases are Abia, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Sokoto, and Zamfara. The report notes that, among suspected cases since the start of the year, individuals over 45 years old are the most affected group for both males and females. Overall, 54 percent of suspected cases are male and 46 percent are female.
Six states account for 96 percent of all cumulative cases: Cross River (647 cases), Ebonyi (97), Abia (72), Niger (38) and Zamfara (28). Fifteen local government areas across nine states—Ebonyi (4), Cross River (3), Ondo (2), Bayelsa (1), Abia (1), Katsina (1), Sokoto (1), Niger (1) and Zamfara (1)—have each reported more than five cases this year.
The NCDC identified several challenges in controlling the outbreak. Access to some communities is hindered by security concerns, open defecation, lack of potable water in rural areas and urban slums, and poor hygiene practices. Additional obstacles include inadequate health‑facility infrastructure and cholera supplies, insufficiently trained personnel for case management, and inconsistent reporting from states.
Comments are closed for this story.