The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a warning about the increasing number of yellow fever cases in the country, coinciding with the ongoing cholera outbreak that has affected nearly all states.
This was announced by Jide Idris, the NCDC’s director-general, during a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Idris said that since June, the NCDC has been actively managing a cholera outbreak that has spread across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), impacting 187 local government areas (LGAs).
According to him, as of July 15, Nigeria has recorded 3,623 suspected cholera cases and 103 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent.
He said there was a slight decline in reported cases and fatalities in the past week, attributing the improvement to ongoing national and state-level efforts.
The NCDC boss cautioned that the peak of the rainy season, which typically exacerbates cholera outbreaks, was still ahead.
Mr Idris said there were concerns about underreporting due to inadequate resources for surveillance and the political stigma associated with the disease.
He said the agency had also observed a troubling rise in yellow fever cases, particularly with the onset of the rainy season.
“Three presumptive positive cases have been reported, two in Ekiti State and one in Bayelsa, along with one death.
“Yellow fever, a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, presents symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, back pain, body aches, and jaundice,” he explained.
Mr Idris highlighted the importance of vaccination as the most effective prevention method against yellow fever, offering lifelong immunity.
He urged the public to ensure that they were vaccinated, use mosquito repellents, wear protective clothing, and eliminate stagnant water to reduce mosquito breeding sites.
According to him, heavy rainfall and flooding significantly impact the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and yellow fever.
He said the NCDC had provided comprehensive guidelines to mitigate the impact of the diseases.
The director-general advised healthcare workers to use standard safety precautions and report suspected cholera cases promptly.
He urged state governments to prioritise access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
