The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jide Idris, has said a total of 2,102 suspected cholera cases and 63 deaths have been recorded across 33 states and 122 local government areas in the country.
Idris stated this in Abuja, on Tuesday while giving an update on the campaign against the cholera outbreak as the National Youth Service Corps introduced strict camp guidelines with the commencement of the 2024 Batch B Stream ‘I’ orientation course.
The orientation course runs for 21 days, equipping, and training the eligible participants of the one-year mandatory service.
To ensure a successful programme, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Yushau Ahmed has issued strict instructions to camp coordinators and officials to prevent the outbreak of cholera in orientation camps nationwide.
Cholera, a highly contagious food and waterborne disease, is caused by the ingestion of the organism, Vibrio Cholerae, in contaminated water and food.
Nigeria is experiencing a significant cholera outbreak, with the cases increasing from over 1,579 suspected cases and 54 deaths in 32 states to 2,102 cases and 63 deaths in 33 states within one week.
The outbreak has notably affected Lagos, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, and Nasarawa.
Briefing journalists on the measures deployed against the outbreak, Idris put the case fatality rate at 3.0 per cent.
He said seven of the top 10 states of Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers and Delta, which contributed about 90 per cent of the cases, were southern states.
The NCDC boss noted, “As of 30th June 2024, a total of 2,102 suspected cases and 63 deaths have been recorded across 33 states and 122 LGAs with a case fatality rate of 3.0 per cent since the beginning of the year.
“Of the top 10 states (Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers and Delta) that contribute about 90 per cent of the cases, seven of them are Southern states.’’
Highlighting the measures being enforced in the orientation camps to keep cholera at bay, the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, said that the corps DG had met with all camp officials across the country and charged them to ensure the ravaging disease did not find its way into any of the camps.
He said, “A few weeks ago, the director-general convened a meeting of all the state coordinators of all the orientation camps, the camp commandants, and the camp directors nationwide.
“He invited everybody, and the Riot Act was read, and all the measures were put in place to ensure that everything is put in place to ensure that this cholera would not have its way into any of the orientation camps.
“And if you have the time, go to any of the orientation camps, and there you will see for yourself. Everything is neat, and cholera cannot have its way in our orientation camps,” the spokesman further said.
