Skip to main content

Nigeria: Measles Outbreak - Oct 2016

Status
Past
Countries
Nigeria
Disaster types
Epidemic

From 4 January to 23 September 2016, a total of 3,905 suspected cases of measles have been reported in four conflict affected states: 846 in Borno, 2,510 in Yobe, 273 in Adamawa and 276 cases in Gombe state. Of these, 129 cases were laboratory confirmed. (Nigeria Health Cluster, 4 Oct 2016)

So far, 19,306 suspected Measles cases with 108 laboratory confirmed cases and 109 deaths (CFR, 0. 56%) have been reported in 2017 from 36 States and FCT compared with 23,417 suspected cases and 100 deaths (CFR, 0.43%) from 36 States and FCT during the same period in 2016. (Gov't Nigeria, 3 Nov 2017)

In the reporting week, 331 suspected cases of Measles were reported from 34 States compared with 356 suspected cases with four Laboratory confirmed and one death (CFR, 0.28%) reported from 28 States during the same period in 2017. So far, 691 suspected Measles cases and one death (CFR, 0.14%) were reported from 36 States and FCT compared with 966 suspected cases with six laboratory confirmed and 13 deaths (CFR, 1.35%) during the same period in 2017 (Gov't Nigeria, 2 Feb 2018)

Nigeria has been experiencing an increasing number of measles cases since the beginning of the year. The increase in measles cases across the country intensified in early March 2019, prompting the activation of the national measles Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to enhance response efforts. In week 15 (week ending 14 April 2019), a total of 1 925 suspected measles cases, with 11 deaths (case fatality ratio 0.6%), were recorded across 31 states. Borno State in northeast Nigeria was the most affected, having reported 958 suspected cases, constituting about 50% of the total cases reported across the country during the week. Since the disease trend peaked in week 12 (week ending 24 March 2019) when 2 567 cases were reported, there has been a slight decline in the weekly number of cases. (WHO, 28 Apr 2019)

WHO, UNICEF, Gavi Alliance and health authorities have vaccinated more than 1.2 million children against measles in the north-eastern Borno state. More than 28,000 suspected cases and 89 deaths have been reported since the start of the year. Borno has been the worst affected with over 15,000, according to WHO. (OCHA, 27 May 2019)

Between epi week 1 and 20 (1 Jan - 19 May 2019), a total of 30 669 suspected cases have been recorded from 695 LGAs in 36 states and FCT with 91 deaths (CFR 0.29%). Of the 6 764 samples tested, 1 476 were IgM positive for measles. (WHO, 28 Jul 2019)

Between epi week 1 and 30, a total of 49 174 suspected cases have been recorded from 749 LGAs in 36 states and FCT with 252 deaths (CFR 0.5%). Of the 8 473 samples tested, 1 969 were IgM positive for measles. (WHO, 16 Sep 2019)

The number of measles cases reported in several states steadily continued to rise in Nigeria from the beginning of 2019, when approximately 500 cases were reported in epidemiological week 2 (week ending 13 January 2019). With the number of cases rising to over 2 000 per week as of week 11 (week ending 17 March 2019), a National Measles Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was activated on the 11 March 2019 to coordinate a nationwide response to the outbreak. Multiple reactive vaccination campaigns have been conducted to contain the spread of the outbreak, in addition to deployment of multi-disciplinary Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), intensification of surveillance activities and laboratory diagnostics and review of treatment protocols.
Between 1 and 31 August 2019, 1 336 suspected measles cases were reported from all 36 states of the country. The majority were reported from Katsina (238), Borno (234), Yobe (161), Sokoto (83) and Kaduna (56) states, accounting for 58% of cases reported in the period. The number of cases reported weekly has been on a downward trend since epidemiological week 18 (week ending on 5 May 2019) when over 2 000 cases were reported compared to week 34 (week ending 25 August 2019) when less than 500 cases were reported. As of week 37 (week ending 15 September 2019), the total number of suspected cases reported was 54 902 with 275 associated deaths (CFR 0.5%). (WHO, 29 Sep 2019)

Between epi weeks 44 - 48 (week ending 30 November 2019), a total of 2 064 suspected cases of measles were reported from 36 states including 7 deaths (CFR 0.3%). Katsina (342), Borno (248), Kaduna (237, Yobe (216), Sokoto (142), Kano (106) and Adamawa (83) account for 67% of all the cases reported in the time period. Between epi week 1 and 48, a total of 58 916 suspected cases have been recorded from 759 LGAs in 36 states and FCT with 289 deaths (CFR 0.5%). Of the 12 467 samples tested, 2 767 were IgM positive for measles. (WHO, 05 Jan 2020)

Between epi weeks 1 - 5 (week ending 31 January 2019), a total of 1 618 suspected cases of measles were reported from 36 states including 5 deaths (CFR 0.3%). Katsina (356) Sokoto (324), Borno (165), and Yobe (88) states account for 62.3% of the cases reported in January 2020. (WHO, 16 Feb 2020)

Of the 15,099 suspected cases reported, 9,316 (61.7%) were confirmed (2,508 lab confirmed, 1,501 epi-linked and 5,307 clinically compatible), 4,973 (32.9%) were discarded and 810 (5.4%) are pending classification. (Gov't, 31 Dec 2020)

From January – August, 2021: ‒ Borno (5,614), Ekiti (408) and Oyo (328) accounted for 62.8% of the 10,106 suspected cases reported. (Gov't, 31 Aug 2021)

Year to date (week 1 – 31): Suspected cases 17095, Confirmed cases 875, Deaths 203. (Gov't, 21 Sep 2021)