Cholera kills 800 in Nigeria as outbreak spreads

A nationwide cholera outbreak in Nigeria has killed more than 800 people in the last few months, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says.

Many of the victims are children, and the bacterial disease continues to spread – with more than 31,000 cases since January, but most of those being recorded in the last month.

The outbreak has affected at least 22 out of Nigeria’s 36 states, including the capital, Abuja.

According to the NCDC, the north of the country is being worst affected.

Nigeria’s weak healthcare system has been struggling to cope – doctors in public hospitals are on strike and Covid-19 cases are increasing.

Devastating floods in some areas have also made things worse.

The NCDC says it has deployed medical teams to help states deal with the spike in cholera cases.

But it says the government and the public must prioritise hygiene, basic sanitation and access to safe drinking water as part of long-term solutions.

The symptoms of the contagious disease include vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration. It can kill within hours if not treated.