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Geospa ial analysis o chole a ou b eak in Kano Me opolis, Kano S a e, Nige ia
Felicia Eleojo James 1, Fa ou N. Eze 2, *, Mmesoma Vanessa Anako 3 and Sunday Philip Akingbemisola 4
1 Depa men o Geog aphy, Baye o Uni e si y Kano, Nige ia.
2 Depa men o Remo e Sensing and GIS, Fede al Uni e si y o Technology Aku e, Nige ia.
3 Depa men o Medical Labo a o y Sciences, Uni e si y o Nige ia, Nsukka, Nige ia.
4 Depa men o Global and Sociocul u al S udies (Geog aphy), Flo ida In e na ional Uni e si y, USA.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(01), 1487-1497
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 02 June 2025; e ised on 13 July 2025; accep ed on 15 July 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.27.1.2597
Abs ac
This s udy in es iga ed he geospa ial analysis o chole a in Kano Me opolis, Kano S a e Nige ia, om 2010-2019.
Heal h Facili y Based eco ds o chole a cases we e ob ained om Kano S a e Minis y o Heal h (KSMoH) which
includes he yea s o chole a ou b eak, numbe o people a ec ed, hei age and sex, loca ions and he s a e o hei
heal h a e being ea ed. These we e analyzed using bo h desc ip i e and in e en ial s a is ics. A c GIS was used o
map ou a eas wi h chole a cases. Cho ople h maps we e gene a ed showing yea ly a es o occu ence o each wa d.
The esul s show ha chole a is endemic and i occu yea ly in he s udy a ea in bo h he we and d y season, hough
wi h mo e cases in he we season. Highes numbe o cases was eco ded in 2013 and 2014 (21% and 43%) and o he
yea s o he s udy pe iod ha ing low and mode a e cases espec i ely. Fo he s udy pe iod, chole a cases we e eco ded
in he en i e Local Go e nmen A ea wi h Dala and Kano Municipal ha ing he highes numbe o cases (16% and 15%
espec i ely) while Ta auni has he leas numbe o cases (5% o he o al cases). The esul also e ealed ha male
cases sligh ly ou numbe ed ha o emales, which is 54% agains 46 while child en be ween he age g oup o 0-14 we e
mo e a ec ed han any o he age g oup, accoun ing o abou 30% o he o al cases eco ded. The esul o his s udy
is impo an o public heal h in e en ions, especially among he ulne able age g oups such as child en.
Keywo ds: Chole a; Wa e and Food Bo ne Disease; GIS; En i onmen al Quali y
1. In oduc ion
Chole a is an acu e in es inal in ec ion caused by he bac e ium Vib io Chole ae. I s mode o in ec ion is h ough he
consump ion o con amina ed ood and wa e ela ed o poo sani a ion and hygiene p ac ices. When consumed, Vib io
Chole ae, p oduces a oxin ha p o okes he elease o luids om he ascula walls o he gas o in es inal ac
p oducing la ge olume o luids esul ing in wa e y dia hea. Wi hou immedia e ea men , Vib io Chole ae can cause
se e e dehyd a ion and e en leads o dea h wi hin hou s o onse in a se e ely pu ging indi idual. Case Fa ali y Ra e
(CFR) o dea h can be as high as 50% o se e e cases in a ulne able communi y. Chole a can be ansmi ed p ima ily
h ough inges ion o he bac e ium ha is p esen in aeces o an in ec ed pe son o seconda ily h ough di usion
amongs in ec ed indi iduals. The Wo ld Heal h O ganiza ion (WHO) i s epo s o chole a da es back o 1949 o Asia
and o 1970 o A ica and i ecognizes ha he e a e many mo e cases han hose epo ed due o lack o de ec ion in
emo e a eas and poli ical sui abili y o na ions a oiding he po en ial economic impac s o eleasing such in o ma ion
(2). Howe e , e e y yea he e is an es ima ed 3-5 million cases and 100,000 – 120,000 dea hs due o chole a on a global
scale (WHO, 2010:306) and clima e a iabili y has he endency o inducing ulne abili y o chole a.
Chole a is endemic and has become a yea ly occu ence in Nige ia, especially he no he n pa s o he coun y (3). I is
caused by d inking o ea ing con amina ed ood o wa e . Chole a a ec s bo h adul s and child en and can e en lead o
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dea h wi hin hou s i un ea ed. Chole a ou b eaks can dis up he social and economic s uc u e and can impede
de elopmen in he a ec ed communi ies. Wo ld Heal h O ganiza ion in collabo a ion wi h NCDC has epea edly
epo ed he inc ease in chole a cases in Kano S a e and he case a ali y a e. P e ious esea ch on chole a in ec ions
in Kano has iden i ied poo hygiene p ac ices and o e popula ion as he majo causes o chole a ou b eak (4).
Kano s a e loca ed in he no hwes zone o Nige ia epo s chole a ou b eaks almos e e y yea , and he disease s ill
occu s in many local go e nmen a eas e en wi h he e o s om he go e nmen in p o iding wa e , sani a ion and
hygiene in e en ions o s op he ou b eaks (5). Chole a has claimed many li es in Kano s a e and will s ill con inue o,
i p ope majo s a e no aken. In 1999, Kano municipal epo ed a chole a ou b eak which was due o he in e up ion
o domes ic wa e supply, o which 815 cases wi h 28 dea hs we e eco ded (5). Ou o he 44 local go e nmen a eas
in Kano, 18 eco ded 2050 chole a cases and 80 dea hs in 2001. 176 cases and 12 dea hs we e epo ed in 2002, mos
o hese ou b eaks ha e been a ibu ed o p oblems o poo sani a ion and unsa e wa e supplies. The ac ha Kano
S a e is conside ed one o he ho spo s a es wi h high bu den o chole a in Nige ia is he eason o his s udy, o ac ually
link he ho spo a eas wi h en i onmen al ac o s.
2. Me hodology
Fo he pu pose o his s udy, Heal h Facili y Based eco ds o chole a cases and issues like da e o occu ence, age and
sex o he in ec ed pa ien s, hei loca ion, and he s a e o hei heal h a e being ea ed we e ob ained om Kano
S a e Minis y o Heal h o he pe iod o 2010-2019, excep ion o 2012 da a ha go missing acco ding o he Disease
Su eillance and No i ica ion O ice .
T end analysis which helps o quan i ies and explains ends and pa e n o a gi en da a se was used o assess he
seasonal end in chole a in ec ions wi hin he s udy pe iod. The a chi ed chole a da a was i s impu ed in o he
Mic oso Excel (2007) applica ions in o de o c ea e a simple da abase. This was ep esen ed on a able and cha ,
showing he yea s o chole a ou b eak, numbe o people a ec ed, hei age and sex, loca ions and he s a e o hei
heal h a e being ea ed.
Fo he spa ial end in chole a occu ence, he Local Go e nmen A ea map o Kano Me opolis was ob ained om he
GIS uni o Geog aphy Depa men . The ob ained map was geo- e e enced and digi ized in he GIS labo a o y. The
chole a a chi ed cases we e inpu in o he GIS and me ged, which o med he da abase o he analysis. F om he
da abase using p e alence a e a wa d le el, cho ople h maps we e gene a ed showing yea ly a es o occu ence o
each wa d wi hin he Me opoli ans. Six majo ca ego ies we e iden i ied (No chole a, wa ds wi h 1-5 cases, 6-15 cases,
16-50 cases, 51-100 cases and > 100) and used o show he dis ibu ion o chole a in he s udy a ea as also used by (5).
The ca ego iza ions enable quick iden i ica ion o wa ds wi h low and highe cases as well as hose a eas a isk due o
highe p e alence. The o al occu ences o each yea h oughou he s udy pe iod we e p esen ed using he ca ego ies,
incep ion o 2012 ha he da a go missing.
3. Resul s and discussion
3.1. Spa ial Dis ibu ion o Chole a In ec ion
The spa ial dis ibu ion o chole a epo ed cases in he s udy a ea e ealed how chole a cases a e sp ead ou ac oss
he wa ds in he me opolis wi hin he s udy pe iod. F om igu e 1-9, spa ial dis ibu ion o epo ed chole a cases
ac oss Kano Me opolis e ealed ha chole a is endemic in he me opolis, h oughou he s udy pe iod (2010-2019).
The cases epo ed in each Local Go e nmen A ea o his pe iod e ealed Dala and Kano Municipal o ha e he highes
numbe o cases (16% and 15% espec i ely) while Ta auni has he leas numbe o cases (5% o he o al cases). I is
e iden ha chole a cases we e epo ed h oughou he s udy pe iod, wi h some mon hs ha ing highe numbe o
occu ence han he o he . In 2014, he whole wa ds in Kano Me opolis eco ded chole a cases wi h July and Janua y
being he wo peaks. Inc ease in chole a cases o some Local Go e nmen A eas could esul om he se lemen
dynamics as well as inc ease in human popula ion which could p obably leads o he de e io a ion o he physical
en i onmen as popula ion in he u ban cen e s end o be highe han ha o he u al a ea. F om p e ious s udies, i
is e ealed ha mos esiden s in Dala communi y a e p one o communicable and non-communicable diseases due o
high popula ion densi y wi h poo planning sys em (6). This inding is also in line wi h ha o (5) who in hei s udy on
chole a assessmen in Kano S a e epo ed ha ‘excep ing 2011 and 2019, chole a cases concen a ed in u ban local
go e nmen a eas o he s a e, o which bo h Dala and Municipal a e pa o .
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Dala is he mos densely popula ed local go e nmen a ea in Kano Me opolis occupying an a ea o abou 36KM2 wi h
high popula ion o abou 566334.3641. Housing condi ion o an en i onmen has a p o ound in luence on he populace
heal h, e iciency, social and economic alues o any socie y. The LGA is cha ac e ized by a lo o in o mal housing (6)
and in o mal dwelling can igge chole a occu ence as he disease is easily ansmi ed in a conges ed en i onmen al
se ing. I was also obse ed om p e ious s udies ha Kano municipal has high eco ds o empe a u e, conges ion
and imp ope me hod o was e disposal (Buba and Muhammad, 2019), which could p obably con ibu e o he sp ead
o diseases in he a ea.
Figu e 1 2010 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
Figu e 2 2011 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
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Figu e 3 2013 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
Figu e 4 2014 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
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Figu e 5 2015 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
Figu e 6 2016 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
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Figu e 7 2017 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
Figu e 8 2018 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
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Figu e 9 2019 Kano Me opolis Wa d Chole a cases
Chole a is endemic h oughou he s udy pe iod in he whole Local Go e nmen A eas, wi h a ying numbe s o cases.
F om he spa ial dis ibu ion o chole a cases abo e, i is obse ed ha some wa ds wi hin he Local Go e nmen A ea
in he Me opolis eco ded consis en high chole a cases (e.g Gwammaja, Dala, Rijiya Lemo, Do ayi e c) whe eas o he s
ha e low numbe o cases on eco d (e.g Adakawa, Yamma a, Challawa, e c). Also, some wa ds ha e inconsis en cases,
ha is, he e a e luc ua ions in he numbe o cases h oughou he s udy pe iod, (some o hese wa ds ha e high cases
in some yea s hen low cases in o he yea s, al e na i ely e.g Kabuga, Gandun Albasa e c), whe eas wa d like Na’ibawa
in Kumbo so Local Go e nmen A ea has an excep ional case, which is bad o he pe iod o s udy.
Chole a is a wa e bo ne disease and can easily be ansmi ed in an a ea wi h poo en i onmen al condi ion and high
popula ion densi y; his is because high popula ion can pu p essu e on he a ailable esou ces o which wa e is one.
The h ee majo sou ces o wa e in he s udy a ea a e piped bo ne, well wa e and bo ehole. Piped – bo ne wa e is
p o ided in mos pa s o he s udy a ea, bu a e no in adequa e supply, and as such majo i y sou ces hei wa e om
wells and bo eholes (6) which migh no be ea ed he eby pu ing he people a isk o con ac ing in ec ious diseases.
Some o hese well a e open and mos a imes, hygiene is no pu in o conside a ion in e ms o u iliza ion, as people
can s and he chance o con ac ing he disease as a esul o human ac i i ies a ound wa e sou ce ha can lead o
con amina ion o wa e bodies. Some o hese a eas wi h consis en high chole a cases could possibly esul om
imp ope solid was e managemen as p ope solid was e managemen is an impo an aspec o u ban in as uc u es
ha can ensu e he p o ec ion o human heal h and he en i onmen a la ge.
P ope solid was e disposal can educe he a e o en i onmen al pollu ion o con amina ion. Majo i y o he
Me opoli ans ha e poo me hod o was e disposal, as mos o hem dump was e close o hei dwellings and
inadequa e sani a ion acili ies can inc ease he a e o in ec ious diseases. In Kano Me opolis, some majo s ee s,
wa e ways and e en se e al open spaces (e.g Kabuga opposi e Taxi Mo o Pa k, Ko a Ruwa Ka sina Road, Gyadi-gyadi
Cou Road, Unguwa Uku behind Police S a ion e c) a e been used as e use dump si es and mos o hese si es a e le
una ended o o a e y long pe iod o ime. No house- o- house collec ion o was e in he s udy a ea, and e en some
a eas whe e la ge was e bins a e p o ided, he esiden s ha dly use hem. The solid was es a e blown a ound by winds
di ying he en i onmen and blocking d ainages du ing ain all which is capable o causing looding (8) and ha ing
ad e se e ec s on human heal h by exposing he esiden s o bo h communicable and non-communicable diseases. In
some a eas, heaps o solid was es a e ga he ed o ha e o med moun ains wi h he was e dump si es mos ly being along
majo s ee s. Some o hese municipal was e si es a e: Gyadi Gyadi along cou oad, was e si e along zoo oad, ha o
Nai’bawa and Ho o o, Yan Ka a dump si e a Sabon Ga i, o men ion bu ew (8). Mos o hese dump si es a e close o
esiden ial buildings and some s ee endo s sells cooked ood along hese a eas wi hou conside ing he unhygienic
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en i onmen and as such can pose dange o human heal h as bac e ial a e capable o eplica ing in an unhygienic
en i onmen . Was es can also be seen as nuisance o he en i onmen o ming majo b eeding si es o oden s and
se e al disease-causing o ganisms (9). Aside hese heaps o was e causing bo h ai and land pollu ion, some disease
ansmi ing agen s may sp ead i o e neighbou hood esul ing in an unheal hy and unhygienic en i onmen .
In e ms o oile acili ies, mos o he popula ions in he s udy a ea sha es oile wi h hei espec i e neighbo s. In
some cases, wo o h ee houses sha e one oile and some child en om hese household uses dumping si e as hei
oile , while some household ely solely on public oile s a hei p oximi y. Some household s ill make use o pi la ines
which is unhygienic and can inc ease he a e o in ec ious disease (6). P ope solid was e managemen , good d ainage
sys ems, adequa e en i onmen al condi ion, p ope oile acili ies, en i onmen al sani a ion o men ion bu ew can go
a long way o educe he ansmission o con amina ed diseases (6). These could possibly be he easons o consis en
low chole a cases in some wa ds wi hin he me opolis, which i adop ed by all could educe he a e o chole a and
o he in ec ious disease ansmission in he en i onmen . Poo en i onmen al p ac ices along open de eca ion can
inc ease he a e o in ec ious disease in some a eas, as in he case o Nai’bawa in Kumbo so LGA ha p e iously had
low chole a cases on eco d bu inc eases in ecen yea s. The cause o high cases is no a om he e ec s o
o e c owding, poo d ainage sys em and inadequa e en i onmen managemen which can possibly inc ease he bu den
o disease in he a ea.
3.2. Yea ly T end o Chole a Cases
The end (Fig.10) shows inc ease in chole a cases om 2013, wi h 2014 ha ing he highes numbe o occu ences.
The case dec eases om 2015 downwa d wi h sligh inc emen in 2018. The high cases in 2013 and 2014 and he
espec i e case a ali y a e could p obably be as a esul o poo case managemen as well as ca e seeking beha io as
also obse ed by (5). Though, Public Heal h Managemen in Kano S a e aul ed on en i onmen al ac o s which include
poo was e managemen , sho age o sa e wa e , imp ope sani a ion and he likes. The o e all end shows ha i is
declining as depic ed by he end line.
Figu e 10 Yea ly chole a end om 2010-2019
3.3. Seasonal T end o Chole a Cases
Seasonal a e age o epo ed chole a cases (Fig. 11), e eals ha he Baza a (d y and ho ) season has he highes
a e age o chole a occu ence wi hin he s udy pe iod, ollowed by Damina (we and wa m) season. This implies ha
chole a cases in he s udy a ea o a la ge ex en occu be ween Ma ch o Sep embe , in which he aining season o we
season s ill all be ween, which co esponded wi h Ngwa e . al (2021) in hei s udy o he mic o-ho spo s o chole a in
Kano S a e con i ming ha he disease occu s in bo h d y and ainy seasons alike, wi h ainy season ha ing he highe
a es o occu ence and a peak in Augus .
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Figu e 11 Seasonal a e age o chole a cases om 2010-2019
The seasonal dis ibu ion o chole a om indings in his s udy is no cons an as chole a occu s bo h in d y and we
seasons ( ha is, he p e alence o he chole a is sensi i e o bo h he d y and we seasons) co esponding wi h he
ou dis inc i e seasons in he s udy a ea.
3.4. Demog aphic Cha ac e is ics o Chole a In ec ed Pa ien s
The demog aphic end o chole a cases in Kano Me opolis om 2010-2019 shows ha male cases sligh ly
ou numbe ed ha o emales, which is 54% agains 46% accoun ing o a di e ence o 474 male cases (Table 1), his
sligh di e ence is a e lec ion o he na ional popula ion whe e he di e ence be ween he male and emale popula ion
is jus 1.6% (3). This mean ha males we e in ec ed wi h chole a disease mo e han he emales, and i was also
disco e ed ha chole a dea h o case a ali y a e (CFR) we e highe in males han in emale pa ien s (3.4% agains
2.3%). This could esul om high numbe o male ea ing ou side han emale due o he ype o job hey do ha could
no p obably pe mi hem o go home and ea mos o he ime. Chole a is ela ed o en i onmen al sani a ion and mos
o he male ea a leas lunch ou side o om ood endo s no pu ing in o conside a ion unde he hygienic condi ion
o which he ood was p epa ed no he en i onmen in which he ood is been sold. In simila analysis o chole a
ou b eak in Adamawa, (3) ound ou ha he e we e mo e male cases han emale cases, bu disco e ed high a e o
a ali y in emale han in male, which could esul om he oles mos emale play as ca e-gi e , coming in con ac wi h
mo e in ec ed pe sons and making hem ulne able o he disease. Elimian e al, in hei s udy o la ge chole a ou b eak
in Nige ia (2018), also disco e ed high cases in male han in emale, hough wi h jus sligh di e ence, and as well- ound
highe CFR in males (2.12%) han emales (1.69%).
3.5. Age-Sex Dis ibu ion o Chole a Pa ien s
The age dis ibu ion o chole a cases documen ed om 2010-2019 shows ha mo e han 30% ( he la ges p opo ion)
o all chole a cases we e epo ed wi hin he age g oup o 0-14 and ha he age g oup also eco ded he la ge
p opo ion o a ali y (Table 1). This esul implies ha o he s udy pe iod, child en we e mo e a ec ed wi h chole a
han e e y o he age g oups, his is as a esul o ha age g oup ha ing he highes popula ion in Kano Me opolis. The
2020 p ojec ed popula ion o Kano Me opolis e eal ha child en (be ween 0-14) comp ise o abou 45% o he o al
popula ion, especially he age g oup o 0-4 which is he highes in he whole local go e nmen a eas o Kano Me opolis
and as such, he eason behind he high epo ed cases. Mo e so, child en a e mo e ulne able o in ec ious diseases
han adul s, easons being ha ; hey a e exposed o he en i onmen o a longe ime, hey play ou doo , hey a e close
o he g ound and may likely pu some objec s in hei mon hs, hey can d ink wa e om any sou ce no mind ul o any
hygiene p ac ices because i doesn’ occu o hem a ha age and mos o hem li ing in an a ea wi h poo
en i onmen al condi ions which is he case o some a eas wi hin Kano Me opolis, hey ea ou doo wi h lies pe ching
on hei oods which is one o he as es ways in which chole a is ansmi ed. Chole a can a ec any age g oup as
p esen ed in Table 1, i is no only child en’s disease (10), as poo en i onmen al condi ions, con amina ion o wa e
poin as well as ood can inc ease ulne abili y in an endemic a ea. Age – sex dis ibu ion o chole a pa ien s om
p e ious s udies can be said o be dynamic (11) as some esea che disco e ed high chole a cases in emales han males
and ice- e sa and also in di e en age g oups. F om he o egoing, i can be esol ed ha chole a cases as ela ed o
age and sex is dynamic.
