A total of 693 people in Nigeria have died from Lassa fever, cholera, and diphtheria since the start of the year, according to the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja while providing an update on Mpox and other disease outbreaks in the country.
The situation reports show that 216 people died from cholera, 168 from Lassa fever, and 309 from diphtheria.
Dr. Idris stated that a total of 982 Lassa fever cases and 67 confirmed Mpox cases have been recorded this year. “The confirmed cases of Lassa fever were reported across 28 states and 127 local government areas,” he said.
He added that a total of 7,773 suspected Lassa fever cases were recorded during this period, with all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) reporting at least one suspected case.
For Mpox, Dr. Idris reported that the 67 confirmed cases occurred across 23 states and the FCT. He noted, “All states, except Borno, have recorded at least one suspected case of the disease.” However, he suggested that the lack of reported cases in Borno may be due to underreporting.
Discussing the trends in infectious diseases, he said, “There was a recent downward trend in the number of cases and deaths from Lassa fever and cerebrospinal meningitis, but the cases are likely to increase in the coming weeks and months.”
He further explained, “So we are making preparations and implementing strategies to ensure a reduction in the number of cases as much as possible. There were more cases and deaths from Lassa fever this year than in previous years, so we are putting measures in place to ensure we don’t see large numbers next year.”
Dr. Idris also highlighted that cholera cases are on the decline, noting, “There was a 55% reduction in the number of cases compared to week 35.”
However, he added that since the beginning of the year, “216 deaths from cholera have been reported, with 7,663 suspected cases across 35 states and the FCT.”
Providing an update on diphtheria, Isiyaku Shuaibu Gani from the NCDC’s Surveillance and Epidemiology Department said, “A total of 309 deaths have been recorded from diphtheria this year, occurring in Kano, Bauchi, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Edo, Jigawa, FCT, and Nasarawa.”
In terms of Mpox, Gbenga Joseph, Head of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response at NCDC, mentioned ongoing efforts, stating, “We are expanding molecular laboratories within the NCDC network and providing medical countermeasures for the response.”
Dr. Tochi Okwor, the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) lead at NCDC, noted the poor awareness of AMR among health workers, policymakers, and the general public.
She explained, “There is overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human and animal health.” This includes practices such as “taking antibiotics when they are not needed, buying antibiotics without a prescription, and using excessive antibiotics in farming.”