A cholera outbreak in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State has killed more than 40 people and infected over 3,000 others across seven local Government areas, according to government data and local reports.
The outbreak, recorded between May 1 and May 28, 2026, has spread across 139 communities in Maiduguri, Jere, Mafa, Konduga, Monguno, Ngala and Magumeri, marking one of the region’s most severe public health crisis in recent years.
Officials confirmed that the first suspected cases were reported on May 1, with confirmation following on May 4. Health authorities say Maiduguri has recorded over 2,000 cases, while Jere has reported more than 1,000 infections. In some facilities, hospitals are overwhelmed, with patients treated in overcrowded wards and, in some cases, on floors due to limited space.
The Borno State government says it has intensified response efforts by supplying medicines, hygiene materials and clean water supplies, including chlorine tablets and disinfectants, while also conducting public awareness campaigns with traditional leaders.
However, healthcare workers continue to report pressure on treatment centres, with dozens of new cases admitted daily. Communities have also reported deaths, including a woman in Maiduguri whose symptoms escalated rapidly before she died.
Authorities and health experts have attributed the outbreak to unsafe water sources, poor sanitation and overcrowded living conditions, particularly in internally displaced persons camps, as efforts continue to contain the spread.