KANO - A fresh cholera outbreak has killed 20 people and left 200 others infected in northern Nigeria's Adamawa State in the past week, a senior health official said Wednesday."We have recorded a resurgence of cholera in four local government areas in the northern part of the state in the last week which has claimed 20 lives with about 200 others infected by the disease," Zainab Baba Kwanci, Adamawa State Health Commissioner told AFP.
"The resurgence is pathetic and we are doing everything that is necessary to contain the situation, including the provision of drugs and vaccines as well as health personnel to the affected areas," he added.
The latest deaths take to 169 the number of those killed by the disease in four northern states -- Adamawa, Jigawa, Taraba and Borno -- in the past three months.
Cholera is a water-borne disease and can also be transmitted by food that has been in contact with sewage.
It causes serious diarrhoea and vomiting leading to dehydration. With a short incubation period, it can be fatal if not treated in time.