The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 91 suspected cholera deaths in seven months.

In a report on Tuesday, the centre noted that between January and July, there were 3,610 suspected cases and 91 suspected deaths with a steady increase in the outbreak since June.

According to the NCDC, cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae, a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium. It is usually caught by eating or drinking contaminated food or water and is closely linked to poor sanitation.

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The centre further said that cholera is a very serious disease that can kill within hours if left untreated.

Data obtained from the NCDC showed that the case fatality rate of cholera stands at 2.5%, with 31 states reporting cholera cases.

“Of the suspected cases since the beginning of the year, the age group below 5 years is the most affected age group for male and female. Of all suspected cases, 49% are males and 51% are females.,” the report reads.

“Nine states – Taraba (676 cases), Cross River (650 cases), Katsina (378 cases), Kano (318 cases), Ondo (283 cases), Zamfara (178 cases), Bayelsa (144 cases), Bauchi (100 cases), and Adamawa (56 cases) account for 87% of all cumulative cases.

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“Seven LGAs across two states Cross River and Taraba reported more than 100 cases each this year.”

Of the 36 states in the country, only five, namely Yobe, Ogun, Enugu, Ebonyi and Edo, did not record a case.