A cholera outbreak in Borno State has claimed 39 lives within the last 24 hours, with health authorities recording 272 new infections across 36 wards in eight local government areas.

According to Channels Television, the latest figures were disclosed by the Incident Manager of the Public Emergency Operations Centre, Jacob Audu, during a briefing in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

Audu said the outbreak is currently affecting 138 communities across the impacted local government areas, prompting the state government to strengthen containment measures aimed at curbing further transmission.

The Permanent Secretary of the Borno State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Shettima Maina, said the government had reactivated two emergency response centres to provide treatment for infected persons in the affected areas.

Although Maina described the illness as acute watery diarrhoea, he stopped short of officially confirming it as cholera. He noted, however, that authorities had begun to see a decline in reported cases in recent days.

Maina said Governor Babagana Zulum had approved the release of funds, medicines and other medical supplies to health facilities handling the outbreak. He added that treatment for affected patients would be provided free of charge.

The health ministry has also intensified public awareness campaigns in affected communities to educate residents on disease prevention and management.

“We are currently conducting sensitisation campaigns and stakeholder meetings on acute watery diarrhoea and its management for local government chairmen and other stakeholders across the state,” Maina said.

Health officials revealed that women aged between 21 and 50 years have been the most affected demographic, while Old Maiduguri Ward has recorded the highest number of cases since the outbreak began.

The Borno State Government continues to urge residents to maintain proper hygiene, ensure access to safe drinking water and promptly report suspected cases to the nearest health facility.