37 dead, over 3,000 cases recorded as cholera outbreak hits Borno

The Borno State Government has raised alarm over a cholera outbreak that has infected more than 3,000 people and claimed 37 lives across seven Local Government Areas of the state within the month of May.

The Executive Secretary of the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, Dr Saleh Abba-Kaza, disclosed this in a public health advisory issued on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

Abba-Kaza urged residents to take urgent preventive measures to curb the spread of the disease.

Abba-Kaza disclosed that the outbreak was first reported on May 1 and subsequently confirmed on May 4, with cases rising across affected communities.

He said more than 100 new cases were recorded within the last 24 hours, while Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) remained the epicentre of the outbreak with over 2,000 reported cases.

“Jere Local Government Area has recorded over 1,000 cases, while Mafa, Konduga, Monguno, Ngala and Magumeri LGAs have also been affected,” he said.

Abba-Kaza noted that the cholera outbreak had spread to 36 wards and more than 138 communities, stressing that the state’s healthcare system was under significant pressure due to the increasing number of cases.

Abba-Kaza attributed the cholera outbreak largely to poor water, sanitation and hygiene conditions, including contamination of pipe-borne water sources and dams, as well as the persistence of open defecation in some communities.

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“With the rainy season already underway, waste materials and human excreta may be washed into residential areas, increasing the risk of transmission,” he warned.

Abba-Kaza urged residents to chlorinate drinking water, maintain proper sanitation practices, dispose of waste appropriately and ensure regular handwashing with soap, particularly before meals and after using the toilet.

The public health expert also called for early reporting of symptoms such as vomiting and watery diarrhoea to the nearest healthcare facility, warning against self-medication or treatment by unqualified persons.

“Prompt medical attention can save lives. Suspected cases should be reported immediately, and affected persons evacuated to designated treatment centres,” Abba-Kaza added.

Abba-Kaza said the Borno State Government was making efforts to secure cholera vaccines but emphasised that vaccination alone could not replace adherence to proper water, sanitation, and hygiene practices.