The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed a dengue fever outbreak in Edo State.
In a statement released on Friday, NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed that laboratory tests conducted between June 9 and 13, 2025, confirmed the cases, highlighting the increasing threat of vector-borne diseases in the country.
The agency also warned of the potential for widespread outbreaks of cholera and yellow fever, noting that Nigeria is already witnessing a surge in cholera cases, while signs of yellow and dengue fever are emerging in several states.
The agency said the alert follows recent forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which identified Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Yobe, and several other states as being at heightened risk of flash floods this July.
He made reference to NiMet’s impact-based weather forecast that highlighted several states at heightened risk of flooding and flash floods.
“Floodwaters often contaminate our water sources by washing pathogens or germs from soil, animal waste, or overwhelmed sewage systems into rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water.
“This contamination affects drinking water sources and creates ideal conditions for the spread of cholera, which is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
“Additionally, heavy rainfall or flooding can create stagnant water in natural and artificial receptacles such as puddles, tree holes, discarded tyres and containers which becomes ideal breeding sites for mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever,” he said.
NCDC said it’s already executing a coordinated national response to the recent surges in the infectious disease outbreaks in response to the rising risks and threats.
According to the NCDC, as of late June 23-29, suspected cholera cases have been reported in 34 states, with Zamfara alone accounting for 32 percent of all suspected cases.
Other heavily affected states include Bayelsa, Adamawa, Delta, Lagos, and Rivers.
The agency said seven confirmed cases of yellow fever have also been reported in six states: Abia, Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Lagos, and Rivers.
“A single confirmed case of yellow fever is considered an outbreak. No deaths have been recorded to date,” the statement reads.
The NCDC said it is working “closely with state governments, health partners, and communities to strengthen surveillance, provide treatment supplies, deploy rapid response teams, and carry out other communication and community engagement efforts to contain outbreaks and reduce their impact”.
The NCDC advised individuals to maintain hygiene through regular handwashing and proper sanitation, washing fruits and vegetables with clean water, covering water storage containers and clearing stagnant water, using insecticide-treated nets and repellents, and ensuring vaccinations are up to date.
“We urge all state governments to remain alert and intensify surveillance efforts to ensure timely detection and response to any of these diseases,” the agency added.
