Cholera has killed 80 people in nine states of the federation (Nigeria), bringing the total number of cases to 4,153.
This is according to the Situation Report for Week 39 of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by the bacillus Vibrio cholerae. The disease spreads through contaminated food and water, reappearing on a regular basis in countries like Nigeria that lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
Borno State topped the infection chart in the most recent report, which covered the period from September 5 to October 2, with 2,626 cases.
According to the NCDC report, 11 states account for 86% of all cumulative cases, with Borno once again leading the way with 3,663 cases, followed by Yobe State with 1,632 cases.
Other states with reported cases include Katsina (767), Taraba (675), Cross River (649), Gombe (470), Jigawa (417), and Bauchi (417). (304).
Borno State was followed on the log by Yobe and Gombe States, with 718 and 317 cases, respectively.
Zamfara State had the most cases with 212, followed by Bauchi with 119, Jigawa with 95, and Sokoto State with 47.
While Katsina had 16 cases, Adamawa came in last with only three infections.
Shortage of cholera vaccine
A shortage of cholera vaccines has forced a temporary shift from the usual two-dose strategy in campaigns to combat an increasing number of outbreaks, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The International Coordinating Group (ICG), which manages emergency vaccine supplies, was forced to suspend the two-dose regimen due to a “strained global supply of cholera vaccines,” according to the UN health agency.
“The strategic shift will enable the doses to be used in more countries at a time of unprecedented rise in cholera outbreaks worldwide,” the WHO said in a statement.
It noted that 29 countries, including Haiti, Syria, and Malawi, had reported cholera cases this year.
In comparison, only about 20 countries reported such outbreaks in the previous five years.
“The global trend is moving towards more numerous, more widespread and more severe outbreaks, due to floods, droughts, conflict, population movements and other factors that limit access to clean water and raise the risk of cholera outbreaks,” it said.
“The benefit of supplying one dose still outweighs no doses,” the statement said.
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