Lagos cholera outbreak: Death toll surges to 21 as cases soar to 401
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has announced a significant increase in suspected cholera cases, with 401 reported cases and 21 fatalities.
According to a statement by the Director of Public Affairs at the state Ministry of Health on Thursday, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the affected areas include Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa, which have recorded the highest numbers.
The state government has urged residents to take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease, which is endemic in Nigeria and typically occurs during the rainy season in areas with poor sanitation.
“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.
In response to a recent cholera outbreak in Lagos, citizens are urged to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as watery diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, general malaise, and fever.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu highlighted that cholera treatment is available free of charge at all public health facilities.
Acknowledging the commitment to quality healthcare for Lagos residents, the Special Adviser expressed gratitude on behalf of the State Government to local, national, and international partners.
These partners include the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, Red Cross, and others who have supported efforts to combat the outbreak.
