The cholera outbreak in Lagos has resulted in a rise of fatalities to 21, with 401 suspected cases reported across the state.
Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, provided an update on the disease situation on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
She disclosed that the total number of cholera cases has increased to 401, with Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa recording the highest numbers. The death toll has also risen to 21, up from the previously reported 15 fatalities.
Ogunyemi attributed the surge in cases to the recent Ileya festivities, which saw large gatherings. She noted a decline in suspected cases in some local government areas (LGAs) due to interventions and surveillance efforts by the state government.
The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Health and allied agencies, continues to maintain rigorous surveillance, monitor the situation closely, and implement planned programs to contain the spread.
“Following the last update on the cholera outbreak in Lagos, which reported 350 suspected cases and 15 fatalities, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, disclosed that the total number of cholera cases has increased to 401 across Lagos, with Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa recording the highest numbers.
“Dr. Ogunyemi revealed this today while providing an update on the outbreak after meeting with members of the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre. She added that the death toll has also risen to 21, an increase of six from the previously reported 15 fatalities,” the statement partly read.”
According to Ogunyemi, the rise in cases was anticipated following the Ileya festivities, during which large gatherings occurred.
She, however, noted that suspected cases are subsiding across Local Government Areas, particularly in previously affected LGAs due to the state government’s interventions and surveillance efforts.
The Special Adviser stated that the government, through the Ministry of Health and other sister agencies, is maintaining rigorous surveillance and monitoring of the situation and implementing planned programs and activities to curb the spread.
“The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Environment and its agency, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, continues to collect samples of water sources, food, and beverages to identify the source of contamination. We have also intensified our surveillance activities in communities, particularly in affected local government areas, to address the situation head-on.
“We are also working with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education as well as the Ministry of Tertiary Education to ensure all precautions are taken in our schools to protect children and scholars as they return. Residents must, however, remain vigilant, practice good hand hygiene, and participate in community sanitation activities to stop the spread of cholera,” she stated.
She advised that citizens seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as watery diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, general malaise, and fever, stressing that cholera treatment is provided free of charge at all public health facilities.
While noting that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains committed to ensuring that residents of Lagos receive quality and affordable health care, the Special Adviser extended the gratitude of the State Government to local, national, and international partners—including the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organisation, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, Red Cross, and others—for their support in combating the outbreak.
“Appreciation is also extended to the dedicated team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, environmental health officers, Water Corporation officers, surveillance officers, heads of agencies, members of PHEOC, and volunteers who are working around the clock to combat the disease and keep Lagos safe,” Ogunyemi said.
Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria in contaminated water and food, leads to severe acute watery diarrhea and can be fatal within hours if untreated.
In Nigeria, cholera is endemic and seasonal, prevalent during the rainy season and in areas with inadequate sanitation.
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