The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a nationwide alert on rising cases of cholera, yellow fever, and dengue fever triggered by ongoing floods across the country.
The alert, titled “Protecting public health during flood season”, was released Thursday, July 17, and signed by NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris.
It follows the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet) recent flood alert, warning that Sokoto, Lagos, Edo, Benue, and 16 other states face a high risk of flash floods in July.
NiMet stated, “Sokoto State has a high risk of experiencing flash floods. Other states with notable risk of flash flooding are Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Edo, Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.”
NCDC said the floodwaters often contaminate drinking water by carrying pathogens from soil, animal waste, and sewage into rivers and lakes.
“This contamination affects drinking water sources and creates ideal conditions for the spread of cholera, which is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae,” it warned.
The alert also pointed out that stagnant water from floods creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
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“Heavy rainfall or flooding can create stagnant water in natural and artificial receptacles such as puddles, tree holes, discarded tyres and containers which become ideal breeding sites for mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever,” it stated.
According to the NCDC, 34 states have reported suspected cholera cases as of June 29, with Zamfara accounting for 32 percent of all suspected cases. Other high-burden states include Bayelsa, Adamawa, Delta, Lagos, and Rivers.
“Suspected yellow fever cases have been reported across the country, with seven confirmed cases in six states: Abia, Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Lagos, and Rivers. A single confirmed case of yellow fever is considered an outbreak,” it noted.
Dengue fever has also been confirmed in Edo State between June 9 and 13, 2025.
NCDC is coordinating national response efforts, working with state governments, health partners, and communities to strengthen surveillance, provide treatment supplies, deploy rapid response teams, and raise public awareness.
The agency urged Nigerians to clear stagnant water, use mosquito nets, get vaccinated for yellow fever, and report symptoms like fever, headaches, and joint pain. Healthcare workers are also advised to report suspected dengue cases, as required by law.