Nigeria has entered a cholera season as the number of deaths hit 529 across different states, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced.

A cholera situation report published by the NCDC on its website on Tuesday stated that at least 16 states reported 14,343 suspected cases, 325 of which resulted in deaths.

According to the report, some of the states are Bayelsa, Benue, Kogi, Sokoto, Gombe, Delta, Cross River, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kano, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

As of July 26, 2021, the cholera death toll in Nigeria increased by over 61 per cent. In the last three weeks, the total number of deaths moved from 325 to 529.

According to the report, most of the fatalities were recorded in Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi and Abuja. For instance, deaths in Abuja increased from two to 60 in just three weeks, Kaduna moved from five to 33 deaths, while Jigawa reported a fresh death toll of 30.

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Bayelsa reported 25 deaths, Benue 12, Kogi 4, Sokoto 86, Gombe one, Kebbi 1, Nasarawa 17, Plateau 21, Bauchi 42, Kano 123, Niger 10. 

The NCDC also reported that Nigeria has a shortage of cholera vaccines, with the agency promising to “work with relevant partners across the globe to secure vaccines”.

As of July 26, only Bauchi State had access to the cholera vaccine donated by the World Health Organisation.