By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Government,(FG) said it recorded 132 deaths, 696 confirmed Lassa fever cases in Nigeria.Olajide Idris, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), stated this in Abuja.He said Nigeria has recorded a steady decline in confirmed Lassa fever cases from 41 cases down to 10 in epidemiological week 16 (ending 20th April 2025).

He added the number of deaths and the case fatality rate (CFR) have also decreased, with only three deaths reported. He noted that the above improvement is as result of the the positive impact of ongoing surveillance, treatment, and community engagement efforts.He however, lamented that Nigeria risk remains high, especially in endemic areas.Meanwhile, on Mpox, the NCDC boss said, since the beginning of 2025, there was 3 deaths, 723 suspected cases of Mpox were reported across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Of these, 136 cases were laboratory-confirmed, spanning 27 states and the FCT.He said, “Since the beginning of 2025, Nigeria has continued to monitor and respond to Mpox outbreaks across the country through coordinated national surveillance efforts.”From Week 1 to Week 16 of 2025, a total of 723 suspected cases of Mpox were reported across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Of these, 136 cases were laboratory-confirmed, spanning 27 states and the FCT.”Unfortunately three (3) Mpox-related deaths recorded during this period: two (2) in Week 10 from Abia and Ebonyi states, and one (1) more recently in Rivers State, involving a young male with advanced HIV and tuberculosis (TB). This brings the national case fatality rate (CFR) for 2025 to 2.2%”.He lamented, Mpox has shown a steady increase in Nigeria since its reemergence in 2017, with sharp spikes from 2022 to 2024, making the country one of the most affected globally..

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

As Nigeria approaches the peak of the raining season, the Federal Government (FG) at the weekend, cautioned Nigerians on bad sanitation and contaminated water, which are the major sources of cholera disease.Olajide Idris, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), revealed this in Abuja.

He Said the epidemiological week 16 (ending 20 April 2025), there were 1,307 suspected cases of cholera, across 30 states and 98 Local Government Areas (LGAs), with 34 associated deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 2. 6%. This rate is well above the target of less than 1%.The NCDC boss lamented that Cholera remains endemic in Nigeria, particularly in communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation. It is a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and can be fatal without prompt and adequate treatment.He said, “As we approach the peak of the rainy season, a concerning trend in cholera transmission is emerging. During the presentation of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, the Federal Government issued a warning to 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory about imminent flood risks. Notably, this year’s outlook introduced a community-based forecasting approach designed to enhance preparedness and early response efforts across vulnerable regions.”According to the forecast, over 1,200 communities in 176 Local Government Areas (LGAs) have been identified as high-risk flood zones, and an additional 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs are classified as being at moderate risk of flooding.”This proactive dissemination of localized flood risk data is expected to drive coordinated action at the federal, state, and community levels, ensuring timely interventions that can help prevent waterborne disease outbreaks like cholera. NCDC is actively tracking these occurrences”.He said, Cholera is a food and water-borne disease, caused by the ingestion of the organism Vibrio Cholerae in contaminated water and food. Water is usually contaminated by the feces of infected individuals. Contamination of drinking water can occur at the source, during transportation, or during storage at home. Food may be contaminated by soiled hands, either during preparation or while eating.Beverages prepared with contaminated water and sold by street vendors, ice, and even commercial bottled water have been implicated as vehicles of transmission, as have cooked vegetables and fruits freshened with untreated waste water. The time between infection and the appearance of symptoms (incubation period) is 2 hours to 5 days. It has a higher risk of transmission in areas that lack adequate sanitation facilities and/or a regular supply of clean water. Unsafe practices such as improper disposal of refuse and open defecation endanger the safety of water used for drinking and personal use. He noted that people that is mostly at risk include, people of all ages living in places with limited access to clean water, People living in areas with poor sanitation and poor hygiene, People living in slum areas where basic water or sanitation infrastructure is missing, People living in rural areas who depend on surface water or unsafe piped or borehole well water sources for drinking and People who consume potentially contaminated food or fruits without washing and cooking properly etc.Some of the symptoms of Cholera,include acute profuse, painless watery diarrhea (characteristic rice water stools) of sudden onset, with or without vomiting. It may be associated with nausea, profuse vomiting and fever. Severe cases can lead to death within hours due to dehydration (massive body fluid loss). However, most infected people (about 80%) may only show mild symptoms or have no symptoms at all.Idris, therefore advised state government to prioritize action for solutions that ensure access to and use of safe water, basic sanitation, and proper hygiene practices in communities.

By Laide Akinboade Abuja

The Federal Government, (FG), has raised alarm over the challenges of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Nigeria.Olajide Idris, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), stated this in Abuja.

The NCDC DG, who described AMR as a silent killer and it kills more than the combinations of malaria, Tuberculosis and Immunodeficiency Virus,(HIV) Acquired Immunodeficiency (AIDs) syndrome combined together. He said it unacceptable that most Nigerians don’t know how dangerous AMR challenges are.Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) refers to the ability of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites to survive and thrive in the presence of antimicrobial medications, making infections harder to treat. This resistance occurs naturally over time as microbes evolve and adapt, but it’s also accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and agriculture. AMR threatens the effective prevention and treatment of a wide range of infections, potentially increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.According to the NCDC boss, “AMR is a huge importance. AMR was suppose to be part and parcel of this program.”And we are about to roll out some programmes on this AMR. As you all know we are already working on National Action plan on AMR, this would look at Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), anti microbial stewardship and finance these are some of the areas we are looking at. “AMR is a silent killer, it kills more than the combination of malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV combined together.”The worst thing is that much is not known about it. It has become a global focus. “Nigeria is set to host the next ministerial conference on AMR in 2026. This is a huge responsibility for us. We will be planning for this conference next year, we have created various committees to plan this programme but unfortunately we are yet to get funding for this programme. In terms of awareness, it is imperative to create awareness to Nigerians on how dangerous AMR is. Especially stopping unnecessary access to antibiotics, to ensure that if you are going to take antibiotics, you take them based on prescription of Doctors, people should not be going to buy over the counter antibiotics, people should stop prescribing antibiotics for themselves”.He decried Nigerian’s culture and practices and the healthcare workers are all at risk of the effects of AMR.According to him, health workers are guilty as well, because they don’t take proper history or proper diagnosis before prescription and most time their patients don’t need those drugs.In conclusion he said AMR is huge and therefore should be given attention, by creating awareness it deserves.