Trending 
A severe cholera outbreak has struck seven local government areas in Borno State, killing at least 37 people and infecting over 3,000 others in May.
The Executive Secretary of the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, Dr Saleh Kaza, confirmed the figures in a statement released on Saturday, May 30, declaring the situation a serious public health emergency.
Medical teams recorded the massive surge in infections between May 1 and May 29 following the formal confirmation of the first case early in the month.
The crisis continues to escalate rapidly, with local clinics reporting over 100 new cases in just the last 24 hours.
The Maiduguri Metropolitan Council has suffered the highest burden, registering more than 2,000 cases, while Jere follows with over 1,000 infections.
The waterborne disease has spread across 36 wards and 138 communities, hitting Mafa, Konduga, Monguno, Ngala, and Magumeri. Kaza warned that a concerning 1 per cent case fatality rate has completely overwhelmed the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
To combat the spread, Kaza urged residents to immediately improve their water, sanitation, and hygiene practices.
He warned that the arriving rainy season could wash waste from open defecation and poor refuse disposal back into living areas, severely contaminating local water sources.
While health officials and international partners like the WHO, UNICEF, and MSF prepare to roll out a cholera vaccination campaign, authorities emphasise that vaccines cannot replace proper hand hygiene and safe food preparation.
