Since the beginning of June this year there have been over 350 confirmed deaths and 6,400 cases of cholera in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health. Authorities are now warning the whole country is threatened by a cholera outbreak.
A significant proportion of cholera cases and deaths are occurring in the north of the country.
As the outbreak has spread to 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, authorities say that medical professionals are closely monitoring the situation.
Dr. M Anibueze, Director of Public Health, Nigeria, said the states of Bauchi and Borno, with 139 deaths, are the worst affected.
Heavy rains, a shortage of clean water, as well as poor sanitation have combined to exacerbate the situation, experts have commented. Over 60% of Nigeria’s population does not have access to clean drinking water. Less than half of the people in the affected states have access to toilet facilities, according to the country’s health ministry.
According to CNN, over 600 people have so far died from cholera in Nigeria, Cameroon and some neighboring countries.
Cholera is a bacterial infection. It usually spreads by drinking water contaminated with vibrio cholera bacteria. It is also caused by eating food that has been in contact with contaminated water. Cholera primarily affects the small intestine and the main symptoms include production of profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. This can lead to rapid dehydration (hypohydration) and electrolyte loss. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal in a matter of hours.
Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. The last major outbreak in the United States occurred in 1911. However, cholera continues to be a major cause of death in the world and is still present in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Cholera can be easily treated. Death results from severe dehydration and shock (a sudden and massive drop in blood pressure that starves the body of oxygen). This can be prevented with a simple and inexpensive combination of antibiotics, fluids and oral rehydration solution.
Around three-quarters of people who are exposed to cholera bacteria do not develop any symptoms. However, these people can contaminate water by passing stools that contain bacteria into water, or pass on the disease through poor food hygiene.
According to WHO (World Health Organization), approximately 120,000 people die from cholera globally each year.
Sources: WHO, Federal Ministry of Health (Nigeria), CNN, BBC.
Written by Christian Nordqvist