Nigeria: Red Alert for Cholera, Hepatitis E Outbreaks

Date: 2017-07-18

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised red alert for acute outbreaks of cholera and hepatitis E in Nigeria. The WHO blamed the cholera outbreaks on lack of access to clean drinking water and poor hygiene conditions, and the hepatitis E epidemic on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in north-eastern Nigeria.

The WHO said it was notified of a cholera outbreak in Kwara State, where the event currently remains localised. The first cases of acute watery diarrhoea were reported during the last week of April 2017 and a sharp increase in the number of cases and deaths has been observed since May 1, 2017. However, the number of new cases reported has shown a decline over the last four reporting weeks.

According to the WHO, as of June 30, 2017, a total of 1558 suspected cases of cholera have been reported including 11 deaths (case fatality rate: 0.7 per cent). Thirteen of these cases were confirmed by culture in laboratory. 50 per cent of the suspected cases reported are male and 49 per cent are female (information for gender is missing for one per cent of the suspected cases). The disease is affecting all age groups.

WHO, in a statement, said between May 1 and June 30, 2017, suspected cholera cases in Kwara State were reported from five local government areas; Asa (18), Ilorin East (450), Ilorin South (215), Ilorin West (780), and Moro (50) (information for local government areas is missing for 45 of the suspected cases).

"Poor sanitation conditions observed in the affected communities are one of the predisposing factors for this cholera outbreak. An important risk factor is the lack of access to clean drinking water and poor hygiene conditions," the United Nation (UN) apex health body noted.

According to the WHO, the Nigerian Ministry of Health notified her of an outbreak of hepatitis E located in the north-east region of the country on June 18, 2017.

The first case was detected on May 3, 2017 in Damasak, a locality at the border with the Republic of the Niger. Samples were collected from the case and sent to laboratory for confirmation. Cases were later reported in Ngala, one of the local government areas in Borno State that borders Cameroon. As of July 2, 2017, 146 confirmed and suspected cases were reported including 21 confirmed cases.

According to WHO, in Ngala, 25 infected pregnant women (21 per cent) were reported, including two deaths (case fatality rate = eight per cent). Cases were reported from three local government areas: Ngala (112), Mobbar (19), and Monguno (14). The number of hepatitis E cases is highest in Ngala with 29 cases reported from June 19 to July 2, 2017. Twenty-seven samples were shipped to the virology laboratory in Lagos for further diagnosis. Among the samples collected and tested, 21 tested positive (10 in Ngala, seven in Mobbar, four in Monguno) and six tested negative. Twenty-three samples have been collected and are pending laboratory tests.

The apex UN body said the hepatitis E outbreak could propagate rapidly due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region, which arises from the volatile security situation in north-eastern Nigeria and continues to persist.

It further explained: "This crisis in Nigeria has been ongoing for eight years and as a result 1.9 million people are internally displaced. The region has been facing intense movements of population coming from refugee camps or displaced populations in the areas bordering Chad and Niger.

"In addition, the fresh wave of returnees from neighbouring countries is overwhelming the current humanitarian capacity. Returnees began entering the town in January 2017 and so far the town has an estimated population of 90 000, according to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and immigration officials. The town has one unofficial camp hosting returnees considered as strangers or people not affiliated to any of the indigenous communities who have settled in the town. As a result there is overcrowding which is overwhelming the already weak systems in place. Lack of access to essential water, sanitation, hygiene, and health services may lead to propagation of this disease at a very rapid rate."

To address the cholera outbreaks, the Kwara State Ministry of Health has established an Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the outbreak response with support from the Nigeria Centers for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, WHO, and partners.

The following response measures are being carried out:

*National multidisciplinary teams were deployed to Kwara State to provide technical support.

*Cases are being managed in local health care facilities in Kwara State. Active case searching is ongoing in the affected and surrounding communities. These have been strengthened with the formation of surveillance teams made up of the above mentioned partners, and the deployment of local government area Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs).

*Collation and data entry of cases is currently ongoing.

*In order to improve laboratory investigations, cholera rapid diagnostic tests are being distributed to selected facilities and health care staff trained on their use.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Erubu     Code Of Conduct Tribunal     Turaki     Zainab Abass     Opobiyi     Jimba Babatunde     GRA     Bayo Ajia     Muhammad Yahya     Moshood Mustapha     Sa\'adu Salau     KWSIEC     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Olatunde Jare     Ballah     MATTA Girls Foundation     Kanu Agabi     Ilorin Water Reticulation     NIRSAL     Mohammed Lawal Bagega     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Binta Abubakar Mora     Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Ope Saraki     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Police Commissioner     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Sobi Hill     Pacify Labs     Oke-Kura     Mustapha Akanbi     Ajibike Katibi     Elections     Sherif Sagaya     Sidikat Alaya     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Oniwa     AbdulRazaq AbduMajeed Alaro     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     SSA Youth Engagement     Yusuf Lanre Badmus     Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani     Magaji Nda     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Olatinwo     Kwara State Football Association     Amasa     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Harafat E. Mukadam     Abiodun Musa Aibinu     Patigi Regatta     Shonga Farm Project     United Nigeria Congress Party     Saudat Abdulbaqi     Suleiman Idris     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     Ramat Oganija     Isiaka Danmeromu     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Maigidasanma     Obuh     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Makama     SUBEB     Donatus Ejidike     Bilikis Oladimeji     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Jamila Bio Ibrahim     Abiodun Jacob Ajiboye     Durbar     S.O. Opowoye     Tunde Yusuf     Ibrahim Bio     Students Union Government     Hausa    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Mufti Of Ilorin     Dunmade     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Mahmud Babatunde Baker     Wahab Agbaje     Buari Edun     Oke-Ode     Atiku     Ishola Abdullahi     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Kwara Poly     Folaranmi Aro     Oniyangi     Saliu Tunde Bello     Yakubu Dogara     Kayode Issa     Shehu Adaramaja     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     United Nigeria Congress Party     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Mohammed Abduraheem     College Of Education     Raji Ayodele Kamaldeen     Ijagbo     Sunday Popo-Ola     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Umar Yakubu Jaja     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Senate Presidency     Oladimeji Thompson     Mahmud Durosinlohun Atiku     Usman Rifun     Abubakar Abdulraheem     Abubakar Aliagan     Smart School     Ibraheem Abdullateef     Jawondo     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Fatima Abolore Jimoh     Aso-ofi     Roheemat Hammed     Kehinde Boyede     Al-Ilory     Ajayi Okasanmi     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     Kayode Oyin-Zubair     SSUCOEN     Ademola Kiyesola     United Nigeria Airline     Olaitan Adefila     Elese Of Igbaja     Senate     Aliyu Muyideen     Majlis For Sadaqah, Zakat And Waqf     Bilikis Oladimeji     Rafiu Olasile     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi     Onikijipa     Okanlawon Musa     Okiki     Joseph Bamigboye     Logun     Sambo Murtala     Yakub Ali-Agan     Sidikat Alaya     Matthew Babaoye     Abdul-Rasheed Na\'Allah     Offa Grammer School     Shoprite     Mary Kemi Adeosun     Neo Mundo Ltd     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Ajakaye     Pakata Development Association     Bolakale Kawu     Shehu Alimi Foundation     Aliyu Salihu