Nigeria: 35,000 Reported Cases, 198 Deaths Recorded in Updated Borno Cholera Outbreak - MSF

What the report says

AllAfrica, republishing a Leadership report from Abuja, says Médecins Sans Frontières has warned that a cholera outbreak in Nigeria’s Borno State is worsening, with the state Ministry of Health recording more than 35,500 suspected cases and 198 deaths as of 12 July 2026. MSF said the figures cover reports from treatment facilities and communities between May and July, after the first suspected patients were identified on 1 May.

According to the report, MSF linked the rapid spread to conditions including crowded informal settlements, unsafe drinking water, weak sanitation and poor waste disposal. Health facilities are under strain as cases continue to rise. MSF said it is working with health authorities and other humanitarian groups, supporting two cholera treatment centres, five treatment units and 17 oral rehydration points across Borno. The organization reported treating more than 24,000 suspected patients during its response, with over a quarter arriving with severe symptoms.

The article said authorities, with MSF support, carried out an oral cholera vaccination campaign in early July that reached more than 2.6 million people. MSF has also expanded community awareness work, trained health workers, strengthened infection-prevention measures and supported water chlorination at key collection sites. However, the report says many vulnerable communities still lack clean water, sanitation and timely healthcare.

Leadership also reported that suspected cholera has spread beyond Borno, with Plateau State’s Ministry of Health recording 102 suspected cases as of 12 July. Cholera is a water- and food-borne bacterial illness that can cause severe dehydration, making quick treatment and prevention measures critical in outbreak settings.