The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) reported Tuesday that 79 people have died from cholera disease in the country so far this year.
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According to the NCDC, states most affected by the disease include Abia, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi and Kano, in addition to Katsina, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara.
The agency reported a total of 1 336 suspected cases of cholera, which has spread across 43 regions in 12 Niger states since the beginning of the year.
Amid the current outbreak in the West African country, the National Multi-Sectoral Technical Group has been activated to oversee the states' response to the disease.
The institution calls on the population to consume safe drinking water and maintain proper hygiene measures to prevent acute diarrheal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
The disease can be contracted by ingesting contaminated food and water. If left untreated, it can be fatal. Treatment includes rehydration, intravenous therapy, and the use of antibiotics.
Nigeria experiences outbreaks of this endemic disease every year, mainly during the rainy season. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an exponential increase in the number of cholera cases on the African continent.