Editor
The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Jide Idris, has cautioned the Borno State Government and other stakeholders to implement preventive measures against potential disease outbreaks in the state following recent severe flooding.
Dr. Idris conveyed this message while delivering updates on disease cases for the period of 2023-2024 to journalists in Abuja, the nation’s capital, emphasizing the heightened risk of diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, malaria, hepatitis, and dengue fever due to the flooding.
The NCDC is currently addressing several outbreaks, including Lassa fever and meningitis, which are now on the decline. Nevertheless, there is an anticipation of a surge in these diseases as they follow seasonal patterns. It is imperative for us at the NCDC to commence preparations for the upcoming season. This year alone, Lassa fever and meningitis reported elevated numbers of cases and fatalities, and we are resolute in preventing a recurrence through early precautionary measures, he added.
Dr. Idris also provided updates on the Mpox outbreak, indicating 67 confirmed cases across 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 1,031 suspected cases reported from 35 states, including the FCT.
Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans and between humans. It is endemic in regions of Africa, particularly in the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa.
Transmission from animals can occur through direct contact with infected animals such as monkeys, squirrels, and rodents, or their bodily fluids. Human-to-human transmission primarily transpires through direct contact with an infected individual or contaminated materials.
Dr. Idris further expounded that Mpox manifests with symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, weakness, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash that typically initiates on the face and extends to other body parts including the palms, soles, and genital areas, enabling sexual contact as a potential mode of transmission.
He outlined ongoing endeavors to expand molecular laboratories within the NCDC network, with intentions to optimize at least two labs in each geopolitical zone.
Additional measures encompass enhanced border surveillance, intensified monitoring among special groups, sustained provision of medical countermeasures, broadcasting of public health jingles, and the creation and dissemination of social and behavioral change materials in local dialects, he stated.
The NCDC also provided updates on other disease outbreaks, including the meningitis outbreak in week 36 of 2024, with 141 suspected cases and one death (0.7% case fatality rate) reported across 19 LGAs in Katsina, Lagos, Kano, Jigawa, and Adamawa states.
The cholera outbreak as of week 36, 2024, has witnessed 4,915 suspected cases, including 361 fatalities (7.3% case fatality rate) reported across 24 states. Out of the 859 samples gathered from suspected cases, 378 were confirmed, representing a 44% positivity rate.
In the 2024 Lassa fever outbreak, there were 7,973 suspected cases reported across 28 states and 127 LGAs. The yellow fever outbreak registered 1,728 suspected cases reported as of September 2024.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has resulted in 64,500 deaths attributable to AMR and 263,400 deaths associated with it, surpassing the major three: malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis. The diphtheria outbreak in 2024 reported 12,085 suspected cases across 21 states and 170 LGAs, with 7,784 confirmed cases, he remarked.
Dr. Idris reiterated the NCDC’s dedication to consistently inform and educate Nigerians on disease outbreaks and the actions being taken to prevent the dissemination of such diseases.
