Nigeria has reported a significant surge in cholera-related deaths, with 359 fatalities recorded in the first nine months of 2024, according to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released on Monday. This marks a 239% increase compared to the 106 deaths reported during the same period last year.
Cholera, a waterborne disease, continues to pose a serious health threat in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas and urban slums where access to clean drinking water is limited. Health authorities have attributed the rising cases to poor sanitation and the lack of potable water in these regions.
In addition to the rising death toll, the NCDC reported a surge in suspected cholera cases, which jumped to 10,837 this year, compared to 3,387 in the previous year. Most of the cases have affected children under the age of five, highlighting the vulnerability of young populations to the disease.
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, recorded the highest number of cholera cases, further straining the city’s public health system. In the northeastern state of Borno, authorities have also been battling a cholera outbreak amidst severe flooding, which has displaced nearly 2 million people, exacerbating the public health crisis.
Efforts to contain the outbreak continue as health officials urge improved sanitation and access to clean water across the country.