Borno Cholera Outbreak Overwhelms Health Facilities As Cases Exceed 35,500

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has said that healthcare facilities in Borno State are struggling to cope with a sharp rise in suspected cholera cases, as the outbreak has infected more than 35,500 people and claimed 198 lives since May 2026.

MSF, in a statement on Wednesday, said the outbreak has placed immense pressure on hospitals and healthcare workers, with the disease spreading rapidly across overcrowded communities lacking access to safe drinking water, sanitation and proper waste management.

The Borno State Ministry of Health reported that as of July 12, 2026, more than 35,500 suspected cases and 198 deaths had been recorded since the first infections were detected on May 1.

MSF said it has treated over 24,000 patients with suspected cholera during the response, with more than one in four arriving in severe condition requiring intensive medical care.

Cholera is an acute bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water. It causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration and can become fatal within hours if left untreated.

To contain the outbreak, MSF, in collaboration with the Borno State Ministry of Health and other humanitarian organisations, is supporting two Cholera Treatment Centres, five Cholera Treatment Units and 17 Oral Rehydration Points across the state to provide treatment closer to affected communities.

MSF Project Medical Coordinator in Maiduguri, Bienfait Tombola, said despite the scale-up of interventions, transmission continues to outpace response efforts.

“We have significantly expanded our response over the past two months, but the transmission is still spreading faster than efforts to contain it, mainly due to a lack of access to clean water, sanitation and healthcare,” Tombola said.

The organisation noted that while many residents are aware of the outbreak, knowledge of how cholera spreads remains poor, contributing to continued transmission.

One patient, 65-year-old Kyari Ali, who sought treatment after developing severe diarrhoea and weakness, said several members of his family and community had also fallen ill.

“I don’t know how I got the disease. I don’t know how cholera spreads,” he said.

In response, MSF said it has intensified community awareness campaigns, trained healthcare workers, strengthened infection prevention measures and supported water chlorination at key collection points.

The organisation also supported an oral cholera vaccination campaign conducted by health authorities in early July, which reached more than 2.6 million people.

However, MSF warned that many informal settlements still lack access to clean water, sanitation and healthcare, allowing the disease to continue spreading.

The outbreak has also extended beyond Borno, with neighbouring Plateau State reporting 102 suspected cholera cases as of July 12.

MSF called for urgent expansion of access to clean water, sanitation services, disease surveillance, timely treatment and vaccination campaigns to curb transmission and prevent further deaths.