Read up on Cholera in our Health & Wellness Section.
The deputy director of primary health care in Nigeria says more than 30 people have died of cholera, following an outbreak of the disease in the country.
The outbreak of cholera was reported on 14 September 2006 by the country�s ministry of health.
Nigeria�s Red Cross society information coordinator told the Daily Trust that over 30 people have died recently, with 22 people being killed in the last four days.
Early this month, the state health commissioner of Nigeria reported that 64 people died in Borno state, while 1 345 were left critically ill due to the virus.
The health ministry said the cause of the outbreak is still unknown, and water samples from different wells where villagers fetch water have been taken and investigations are still being carried out.
Cholera is an acute disease of the gastrointestinal tract caused by the contamination of food or drink by a bacterium called, Vibrio cholerae, which is ingested by drinking contaminated water, or by eating improperly cooked fish, especially shellfish.
The virus is transmitted through ingestion of faeces contaminated with the bacterium. The contamination usually occurs when untreated sewage is released into waterways, affecting the water supply, any foods washed in the water, and shellfish living in the affected waterway.
Read up on Cholera in our Health & Wellness Section.