Regina Otokpa 
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said the number of deaths recorded from the cholera outbreak in the country has risen to 63.
Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, who made the disclosure, yesterday, in Abuja, added that 2,102 suspected cases have been recorded across 33 states and 122 local government areas with a case fatality rate of 3.0 per cent since the beginning of the year.
He said: “As of 30th June, a total of 2,102 suspected cases and 63 deaths have been recorded across 33 states and 122 local government areas with a case fatality rate of 3.0 per cent since the beginning of the year. “Of the top 10 states (Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers and Delta) that contribute about 90 per cent of the cases, seven of them are southern states.
“The National Cholera Multisectoral Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) activated parades an array of subject matter, experts and provides strategic coordination, meets daily and provides periodic situation report for stakeholders. “This also ensures effective mobilisation, harmonisation and distribution of resources to support the affected states.
This is done through the relevant thematic areas of response that cover coordination, surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, water, sanitation and hygiene, vaccination, logistics, research with a costed Incidence Action Plan for the response developed and being implemented.
“These will help facilitate rapid communication, data analysis, and decision-making. It will also ensure that we deploy resources efficiently, strengthen surveillance and diagnostic capacity, enhance treatment of affected persons, and intensify public awareness and community engagement activities.
“Prior to the activation of EOC, the NCDC, through the National Cholera Technical Working Group, had conducted assessment of cholera readiness and preparedness capacity in 22 hotspots and high-burden states, and report of gaps identified shared with the states, so as to guide their preparedness activities before the outbreak.”
Others, according to him, are the provision of relevant guidelines, SOPs and advisories to states, with a view to guiding their technical readiness and how to respond to the outbreak, prepositioning and distribution of medical supplies for case of management, infection prevention, and control, laboratory diagnosis, etc, to all 36 plus one states.
