Cholera Outbreak Kills 27 in Borno, Over 2,700 Cases Recorded in 24 Days

By Victor Idajili

A cholera outbreak in Borno State has killed 27 people and infected more than 2,700 others in just 24 days, according to an official epidemiological report obtained by journalists.

Between May 1 and May 24, 2026, health officials recorded 2,715 suspected cases across six local government areas: Jere, Mafa, Konduga, Monguno, Ngala, and Magumeri.

Jere was hit hardest with 834 cases. Mafa had 159, Konduga 95, and Monguno 56. Ngala and Magumeri reported 2 and 1 case respectively. The Maiduguri Metropolitan Council alone accounted for 1,568 cases, over half the total, making it the epicentre.

The outbreak has spread to 29 wards and 124 communities. Health workers say the real number could be higher, as data from some Cholera Treatment Centres and Oral Rehydration Points hasn’t been fully captured yet. Hundreds of new suspected cases were recorded within a single 24-hour period.

Of the 27 deaths, 11 happened in communities and 16 in health facilities. The high number of community deaths has raised concerns about poor healthcare access and slow emergency response. The current case fatality rate is 1%, which meets the WHO threshold for urgent intervention.

Health workers, especially those with NGOs, say the state government has been slow to declare a public health emergency or roll out a large-scale awareness campaign.

When contacted, Dr. Goni Imam Ali, Director of Public Health at the Borno State Ministry of Health, said the report did not come from the ministry and declined to comment further.