The cholera outbreak in Nigeria has led to 378 deaths, increasing earlier from 359. The country has also reported more than 14,000 cases of cholera since January, said a senior public health official. Xinhua news agency reported that at least 14,237 suspected cases had been reported in 35 out of 36 states as of October 13.
Speaking to reporters, Jide Idris, head of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), said, “Cholera has remained a significant public health challenge, especially in states affected by flooding and poor water and sanitation infrastructure.” He added that the five northern states of Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe, and Kano had been identified as the epicentres of the outbreak. The NCDC has deployed rapid response teams to affected areas and conducted reactive cholera vaccinations in internally displaced persons camps to combat the outbreak.
What is Cholera? Cholera is an infection that is caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Researchers say that every year, nearly 1.3 to 4.
0 million cases of cholera and 21,000 to 143,000 deaths worldwide due to the infection. It can cause severe diarrhoea and dehydration and if left untreated, it can turn out to be fatal. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that it takes between 12 hours and 5 days for a person to show symptoms after consuming contaminated food or water.
“Cholera affects both children and adults and can kill within ho.
