The Lagos State government clarified yesterday that Lagos’s cholera strain is extremely aggressive and highly contagious.
Remember that there have been 17 confirmed cases of cholera in Lagos thus far, with 15 fatalities.
It further stated that the strain’s cholera subtype (O-1) has been confirmed through laboratory analysis, and that the subtype is linked to more serious illnesses.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, in a post on X, said the identified strain is “highly aggressive and contagious, with potential for widespread dissemination.”
Abayomi said through community-based case finding and contact tracing, the government observed that the number of cases “has peaked and is now significantly declining.”
He said: “The geographical distribution of suspected cases by Local Government Area showed that Lagos Island is the epicentre of the outbreak with 106 cases, followed by Kosofe with 49; Eti-Osa with 38; Lagos Mainland with 30; Ojo with 17; Ikorodu with 16; Shomolu with 11; Surulere with nine; Apapa with eight; Mushin with eight; Ifako Ijaiye with eight; Alimosho with four; Ajeromi-Ifelodun with four; Oshodi-Isolo with three; Ikeja with three; Ibeju Lekki with two; Badagry with two; and Amuwo-Odofin with one.
“We are receiving support from the NCDC and International partners, including the WHO Nigeria and UNICEF Nigeria.
“Local Non-Governmental organizations are actively involved in raising awareness and conducting community-based surveillance efforts.”
In the meantime, the government of Ondo State announced that it has turned on its surveillance in order to respond quickly to any cholera cases in the region.
Dr. Banji Ajaka, the state’s health commissioner, reported that the state’s Rapid Response team had contained two cases that had occurred in the Okitipupa council area early in the year.
According to Ajaka, “The COPREP program strengthened the surveillance team by providing trained community informants and contact tracers with eight months of stipends; they would be deployed for active case search in preparation for cholera outbreak.”
Published by Ejoh Caleb
