by Emmanuel Chidiogo

A critical state of cholera outbreak epidemic has been reported in 14 States in Nigeria.

According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 9,006 cases were reported, with 106 deaths in the first quarter of 2014.

In Kaduna State, 350 cases were recorded with 19 deaths; 4 died from 97 cases in Benue; 6 died in Taraba from 190 cases reported, while 6 also died in Ebonyi from 16 recorded cases.

The NCDC reports that Bauchi, where 6,910 cases were reported with 48 deaths, is the worst hit of the 14 states; Kano had 1,270 cases with 16 deaths, while three of the 28 cases in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ended in fatalities.

Over 1,117 cholera cases have been reported in at least five local government areas of Zamfara state within two weeks. These are Gusau, Durumi, Gukkuyum, Sakura and Maradu. 72 of the victims have died of the infection.

Report by the Medicine San-Frontiers (MSF) indicate that death toll from the epidemic could be as high as 350 people in the state alone.
Hospital sources have revealed that about 90 fresh cases were reported at the Shagari Primary Health Care Center among other health facilities in the state this week alone.

Some of the victims who spoke on their experience blamed poor environmental hygiene as a major cause of the disease.

Balira Bello, who is receiving treatment at the Shagari facility, blamed her infection on the unavailability of clean drinking water to the people in the Birnin Ruwa area of Gusau, the state capital.

Two other residents, Balkisu Mamman and Shafa’atu Garba, said they fetch their drinking water from broken pipes which usually pass through unsanitary environments.

Although Plateau State remains one of the worst hit states in Nigeria, in Lagos state, cholera outbreak in five local government areas has so far claimed at least three persons, while scores of victims have been treated and discharged.

Speaking on the situation in Lagos, the state commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris, said. “Although, many of the cases have been treated and discharged in several health facilities, three have been confirmed dead. Most of the suspected cases are from Ajeromi, Apapa, Lagos Island, Oshodi_Isolo and Surulere local government areas”.

Cholera, according to experts, is an acute infectious disease caused by a bacterium, Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) which results in painless diarrhea (the main symptoms are watery stool and vomiting); and infection in most cases comes primarily from drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms.

Health officials say cholera can be easily prevented by washing of hands frequently with soap and water for at least 15 seconds, eating food that is completely cooked, drinking and cooking with water that has been disinfected, among other measures.