The NCDC DG, Dr Jide Idris, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja stated that the current outbreak has spread to 187 local government areas, with a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent since the beginning of the year.

Idris noted that the predominant age affected is five years old, while males account for 52 per cent of cases and females account for the rest.

He, however, said there was a 5.6 per cent decline in the number of cases in this reporting week (8th -14th July) as compared to the preceding week.

“As of July 15, 2024, we have recorded 3,623 suspected cases and, unfortunately, 103 deaths across 34 states plus the Federal Capital Territory and 187 Local Government Areas, with a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent since the beginning of the year.

“The predominant age affected is 5 years old while males account for 52 per cent of cases and females account for the rest.

“Furthermore, there was a 5.6 per cent decline in the number of cases in this reporting week (8th -14th July) as compared to the preceding week. We also recorded a drop in the case fatality rate from 2.9 per cent to 2.8 per cent.

“There is a decline in case fatality rate from week 24 when the spike started to the present week.

“Whereas ongoing current efforts at the national and some state levels might have been yielding some results and largely responsible for the decline being reported, however, given the trend from previous years, we know it is not uhuru yet.

“The trend analysis from previous outbreaks shows the peak of the outbreak usually coincides with the peak of the rainy season, which is still some weeks ahead.

“Also, some of the northern traditional hotspot states have been reporting fewer number of cases, which may be connected with the delayed onset of the rainy season in this part of the country,” he said.

He added that although almost all the states in Nigeria have reported cases of cholera, there appears to be an underreporting of the situation as required data from the states are not coming in real-time as expected given the trend in previous years.

“This is largely due to inadequate resources to support surveillance and disease detection activities at the subnational level,” he said.

Lagos has reported 17 confirmed cholera cases and 15 fatalities to date.

Laboratory investigations have identified the strain as cholera sub-type O-1, which is associated with more severe diseases.

The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, stated on X that this strain has the potential for widespread dissemination.

Community-based case finding and contact tracing have revealed that the number of cases has peaked and is now significantly declining.

The geographical distribution of suspected cases by Local Government Area shows Lagos Island as the epicenter with 106 cases, followed by Kosofe with 49, and other areas with varying numbers of cases.

Support is being received from the NCDC, WHO Nigeria, UNICEF Nigeria, and local NGOs, which are raising awareness and conducting community-based surveillance efforts.

In an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on his two-year anniversary in office, Adetifa underscores the vital need for dedicated funding to bolster health security capabilities.

He emphasizes the importance of strengthening subnational support, considering Nigeria’s federated structure.

Adetifa emphasizes the significance of prioritizing health, encompassing human resources, equipment, training, and quality systems.

He highlights the role of political leadership in increasing funding for health, pointing to state governments like Lagos, Kano, and Gombe, which have already allocated budgets for emergency preparedness and response.

Additionally, Adetifa stresses the importance of continuous surveillance and monitoring to address diseases such as Lassa fever, particularly as the country approaches the November season.

He acknowledges the challenges of brain drain within the public health sector, attributing them in part to inadequate remuneration for public service positions and underscores the necessity of collective efforts from government and the public to address healthcare challenges.

These cases have been identified in eight states, spanning across 33 Local Government Areas in the country, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The NCDC, in a press statement signed by its Director General, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, revealed the latest figures on Thursday. The first confirmed case of diphtheria in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, prompted this disclosure.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration had previously announced the death of a four-year-old child in the Deidei District due to the disease.

In response to the outbreak, the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat has activated the diphtheria Incident Management System to coordinate the efforts of outbreak response activities.

As of July 3, 2023, the NCDC reported only one confirmed case in the FCT, with seven suspected cases testing negative and others awaiting laboratory results.

The NCDC emphasized that since December 2022, diphtheria cases have been identified in various states, including Kano, Lagos, Yobe, Katsina, Cross River, Kaduna, Osun, and the FCT. Among these, Kano state has reported the highest number of cases, with 782 confirmed instances.

According to the NCDC, the majority (71.7 percent) of the confirmed cases occurred among children aged two to 14 years. To date, a total of 80 deaths have been recorded among all confirmed cases, resulting in a case fatality rate of 10.0 percent.

Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Nigeria’s childhood immunization schedule includes a vaccine for this disease. However, despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine, 82 percent of the confirmed diphtheria cases in the ongoing outbreak were found to be unvaccinated.

The NCDC attributes the outbreak to historical sub-optimal vaccination coverage, particularly among the most affected age group (two to 14 years). A national survey on diphtheria immunity revealed that less than half (41.7 percent) of children under 15 years old are fully protected against the disease.

The agency is collaborating with the FCT Health and Human Services Department to implement control measures and prevent further spread of the disease, mirroring the actions taken in other states reporting cases.

In December 2022, the NCDC established a multi-sectoral national Diphtheria Technical Working Group to coordinate surveillance and response activities across the country.

The public is urged to remain vigilant and seek early medical attention for individuals displaying symptoms of diphtheria. Timely diagnosis and effective treatment are crucial for a positive outcome.

Healthcare workers are also encouraged to promptly notify LGA disease surveillance officers upon encountering a suspected case.

It stated on its website on Wednesday that 22 of the cases were recorded in the FCT; 10 were recorded in Lagos State; two were recorded in Delta, while one was recorded in Plateau.

The cases were recorded between Dec. 24 and Dec. 30, 2022, it added.

The new cases increased Nigeria’s total infection to 266,450 and 3,155 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2019.

The NCDC stated that 3,451 people were currently down with the virus, while 259,841 people had been treated and discharged nationwide.

It called on Nigerians to disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly to prevent the spread of the virus and other infectious diseases.

It stressed that vaccines were one of the best tools to combat the virus and encouraged Nigerians to get vaccinated.

The NCDC disclosed this on Wednesday in an update on COVID-19 genomic surveillance signed by its Director General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa.

The update which was made available to our correspondent showed that the Omicron sub-lineage responsible for the rise in cases in the US and UK is XBB.1.5 while BF.7 is responsible for the increased cases in China.

Adetifa, however, said B.5.2.1 has been seen in Nigeria since July 2022.

According to him, country-targeted travel restrictions including requests for PCR-negative tests from incoming travellers had little or no effect on preventing global and national circulation of omicron since the emergence of the variant and its relatives with their shorter incubation period.

He said, “The NCDC-led COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre is monitoring COVID-19 trends in China, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, and other countries with a high volume of traffic to and from Nigeria. This includes the resurgence of COVID-19 in China following the relaxation of the country’s zero-COVID policy, as well as significantly increased COVID-19 cases, admissions, and deaths in the UK and the USA over the past weeks driven in part by the usual winter exacerbations of respiratory illnesses.

“Before the recent case increase in China, the USA, the UK, and other countries, genomic surveillance has shown that the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant and its lineages continue to dominate in recorded infections worldwide. However, the rise in the new Omicron sub-lineages XBB.1.5 in the UK and the US, and BF.7 in China raises concern as it may spread faster than older Omicron sub-lineages (e.g., XBB or BQ) and that they are responsible in part for current increases in cases, hospitalisations, and deaths. However, the sub-lineage seen with cases in China, B.5.2.1, and BF.7 are responsible for the surge in China and do not appear to be increasing unusually in other countries.

“The NCDC continues to strengthen genomic surveillance of the COVID-19 virus in Nigeria. Since the detection of the Omicron variant in December 2021, its sub-lineage (BQ.1/BQ.1.1) has been dominant in Nigeria. None of these dominant sub-lineages in Nigeria that are also circulating elsewhere has been associated with any increases in case numbers, admissions, or deaths locally.

“The sub-lineages partly responsible for the current increase in COVID-19 cases in other countries i.e., XBB.1.5 and BF.7 have not yet been detected in the country but B.5.2.1 has been seen here since July 2022 and the others are most likely here already. BF.7 and XBB have also been circulating in South Africa since October 2022 but without any accompanying increase in cases, severe illness, or deaths.

“Regardless of COVID-19 variants in different parts of the world, severe disease, admissions, and deaths disproportionately affect the unvaccinated and those with established risk factors i.e., older people, people with co-morbidities, and the immunocompromised. The most important action for Nigerians to take is to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the vaccine is the most important intervention for preventing severe disease, hospitalisation, and death.

“Though the COVID-19 protocols and restrictions have been eased, people at high risk for severe COVID-19 are advised to continue to adhere to the recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions such as the use of face masks, good hand and respiratory hygiene and avoidance of crowded spaces.

“COVID-19 has and continues to follow a different epidemiological course in Nigeria and most of Africa. Other Omicron sub-lineages that were associated with increases in cases, admissions and deaths elsewhere did not cause the same in Nigeria as confirmed by our genomics surveillance. This is because the population is significantly protected from a combination of natural immunity and vaccination with vaccines with a high impact on hospitalisation, and deaths. In hindsight, country-targeted travel restrictions including requests for PCR-negative tests from incoming travellers had little or no effect on preventing global and national circulation of omicron since the emergence of this variant and its relatives with their shorter incubation period.

“The NCDC will continue to pay close attention to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in other countries and gather additional surveillance data to inform actions. We are reviewing the situation again this week. At this next review and if deemed necessary, a range of actions, not limited to enhanced surveillance of travellers at airports, may be decided on and implemented.

In its most recent weekly report on the cholera situation for weeks 44–47, which our correspondent got on Tuesday, the NCDC made this disclosure.

According to the report, there were suspected instances recorded in 270 Local Government Areas across 33 states.

Vibrio cholerae, a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, is the source of the acute diarrheal illness known as cholera.

In Nigeria, cholera is an endemic, seasonal illness that typically manifests during the rainy season and more frequently in unhygienic locations.

According to the research, the age range of 5 to 14 years is the most impacted, with 49% of probable cases being male and 51% being female since the year’s beginning.

The report read in part, “32 states and the FCT have reported suspected cholera cases in 2022. These are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

“In the reporting month, six states reported 1,393 suspected cases: Borno (1,124), Gombe (165), Bauchi (61), Katsina (16), Adamawa (14), and Kano (13).

“There was a 78 per cent decrease in the number of new suspected cases in November Epi weeks 44–47 (1393) compared with October Epi weeks 40–43 (6306).

“In the reporting week, Borno (24), Gombe (14), Bauchi (13), Kano (5), Katsina (1), and Adamawa (1), reported 58 suspected cases.

“Borno, Gombe, and Bauchi states account for 88% of the 58 suspected cases reported in week 47.

“During the reporting week, two Cholera Rapid Diagnostic tests were conducted in Gombe 2 (100% positive).

“Two stool culture tests were conducted from Gombe, 1(100 per cent positive) and Bauchi 1(0 per cent positive) in epi week 47.

“Of the cases reported, there were two deaths with a weekly case fatality ratio (CFR) of 3.4 per cent. There were no new state-reported cases in week 47.

“The National Multi-Sectoral Cholera Technical Working Group continues to monitor response across states.”

It added that six states—Borno (1,2459 cases), Yobe (1,888 cases), Katsina (1,632 cases), Gombe (1,407 cases), Taraba (1,142 cases), and Kano (1,131 cases) —account for 84 per cent of all cumulative cases and 15 LGAs across five states Borno (7), Yobe (4), Taraba (2), Gombe (1), and Zamfara (1)—reported more than 200 cases each this year.

The NCDC disclosed this in its latest Cholera Situation weekly epidemiological report for weeks 40–43 posted on its official website on Friday.

The report revealed that 31 states have reported suspected cholera cases in 2022.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by Vibrio cholera, a gramme-negative rod-shaped bacterium.

In Nigeria, cholera is an endemic and seasonal disease, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and more often in areas with poor sanitation.

The report read in part “Thirty-one states have reported suspected cholera cases in 2022. These are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

“In the reporting month, seven states reported 5304 suspected cases – Borno (4920), Yobe (191), Gombe (93), Sokoto (81), Taraba (11), Bauchi (6), and Adamawa.

“There was a 28 per cent increase in the number of new suspected cases in October Epi week 40 – 43 (5304) compared with September Epi week 36 – 39 (4153).

“In the reporting week, Borno (514) and Yobe (2) reported 516 suspected cases.

“Borno and Yobe states account for 100 per cent of 516 suspected cases reported in week 43.

“During the reporting week, two Cholera Rapid Diagnostic Test was conducted in Borno 1 (100 per cent positive) and Yobe 1(0 per cent positive).

“One stool culture test was conducted from Borno state, 1(100 per cent positive) reporting in epi week 43.

“Of the cases reported, there was 1 death with a weekly case fatality ratio of 0.2 per cent.

“No new state reported cases in week 43.

“National multi-sectoral Cholera TWG continues to monitor response across states.”

Members of the House, at the plenary on Thursday, unanimously adopted a motion moved by one of them, Dachung Bagos, who warned that the virus might spread to Nigeria as other African countries had been recording ebola cases.

It was titled ‘Motion of Urgent Public Importance on the Need for Federal Government to Activate Response against the Possible Detection of Ebola in Nigeria.’

Bagos noted that the Ugandan health authorities, on September 20, 2022, declared an outbreak of Ebola disease, caused by the Sudan virus, following laboratory confirmation of a patient from a village in Madudu sub-county, Mubende District, Central Uganda.

The lawmaker also noted that the World Health Organisation expressed concerns that in the absence of licensed vaccines and therapeutics for prevention and treatment of Sudan virus disease, the risk of potential serious public health impact is high.

According to him, investigations are ongoing to determine the scope of the outbreak and the possibility of spreading. “Importation of cases to neighbouring countries cannot be ruled out at this stage,” he stated.

Bagos further said, “According to the information currently available, the overall risk has been assessed as high at national level considering the confirmed Sudan virus and the lack of an authorised vaccine, the possibility that the event started three weeks before the identification of the index case and several transmission chains have not been tracked.

“The House is worried that the Ebola virus is giving a lot of people concern around the world, as it was the variant that gave a lot of infections and fatalities in some countries.

“The House is concerned that Nigeria has reason to be warier at the moment as the deadly Ebola virus can get into Nigeria through our borders or travellers coming into Nigeria for business or any reason and could become dominant if unchecked.”

Adopting the motion, the House mandated the Federal Ministry of Health to “immediately activate strategies to be implemented in monitoring adherence to Ebola guidelines and ensure residents continue to comply with all advisories aimed at curtailing the likely development of the virus in Nigeria.”

The lawmakers also mandated the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to ensure intensive observation and check on travel protocols for inbound passengers from red flag countries.

They further mandated the NCDC to set up a national response to control the likely emergence and spread of the Ebola virus in order to spare Nigerians the brunt of the pandemic.