The number of people who died of cholera since the beginning of the year 2021 is twice as many as those killed by COVID-19, data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed.
While the death toll from cholera has already exceeded 3,600 just about a month to the end of the year, the figure of those who died of COVID-19 complications since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country has yet to cross the 3,000 mark.
Cholera, an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine, is contracted when patients swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria.
Although the infection is often mild or without symptoms, it can be severe and life-threatening sometimes.
NCDC Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, who was a guest on Channels Television Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, confirmed the cholera toll.
“Sadly, cholera has actually killed more people than COVID so far,” he said. “We have had I think a little over 3,600 deaths from cholera for the period of the year under review – the beginning of the year (2021) to date.”
Nigeria reported its first case of COVID-19 in late February last year and since then till the end of 2020, authorities said a total of 1,289 people lost the fight to the disease.
As of November 30 (Tuesday), the number of those who have died stood at 2,977 – suggesting that 1,688 more people died of COVID-19 in 2021.
