THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced an upsurge in cholera cases in various parts of the world.
It said about 195,000 cases of the disease and over 1,900 deaths were recorded in 24 countries since January 2023.
The highest number of cases was recorded in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, followed by the African, American, South-East Asian, and European regions.
According to WHO, there are no reported cases in the Western Region as stated in its bulletin released on Wednesday, June 19.
The WHO defines cholera as an acute diarrheal infection characterised, in its severe form, by extreme watery diarrhoea and potentially fatal dehydration.
The world’s supply of oral cholera vaccines (OCV) had been exhausted by March, said the WHO, adding that it was possible to surpass “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”
However, there is a mismatch between the supply and demand of the vaccine. The WHO said 16 countries requested 92 million doses of OCV since January 2023, about twice the 49 million produced.
The WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners are collaborating to find lasting solutions to the outbreaks.
The ICIR reported in 2023 that Nigeria was one of the 13 African countries battling cholera with several outbreaks of the disease since 2021 when the nation reported 111,062 suspected cases and 3,604 deaths.
On Thursday, June 20, this organisation reported how poor water and sanitation contribute to the outbreaks in Nigeria, according to a statement mailed to The ICIR by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported that 1,141 suspected cases have been recorded so far in 2024, with at least 30 deaths resulting from 65 confirmed cases of the outbreaks from January 1 to June 11.
Lagos State currently has the highest casualties from the disease, losing 21 of its residents to the outbreaks as of Thursday, June 20.
Multimedia journalist covering Entertainment and Foreign news