With the cholera outbreak still running strong and affecting almost every state in the nation, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a warning over the rising number of yellow fever cases in the nation.
The warning was given on Tuesday in Abuja during a press briefing by NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris.
According to Idris, the NCDC has been aggressively controlling a cholera outbreak since June that has affected 187 Local Government Areas and spread to 34 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
He claims that as of July 15, 3,623 suspected cases of cholera and 103 fatalities—or 2.8% of cases—had been reported in Nigeria.
He attributed the progress to ongoing efforts at the federal, state, and local levels and noted a minor drop in reported cases and fatalities over the past week.
However, he issued a warning that the height of the rainy season, which usually makes cholera epidemics worse, was still to come.
According to Idris, there were worries about underreporting because there weren’t enough resources for surveillance and the illness was stigmatised politically.
He noted that concerning increases in yellow fever cases had also been reported by the agency, especially since the start 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 said.
Idris emphasised the value of vaccination as the best means of preventing yellow fever and providing lifetime immunity.
In order to lessen mosquito breeding places, he advised the people to get vaccinated, apply insect repellents, dress in protective gear, and remove standing water.
He claims that flooding and excessive rain have a big effect on the spread of illnesses like yellow fever and cholera.