Eight People Killed And More Than 200 Others Infected With The Cholera Outbreak In Nigeria

Illustrations of residents reading leaflets warning aboutUREs. (Wikimedia Commons/Oxfam East Africa)

JAKARTA - At least eight people have died and more than 200 more have been infected with the vapour plague that occurred in 11 settlements in Bukkuyum District, Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria, local residents and officials said on Thursday, due to limited access to health services and insecurity exacerbating the crisis.

Affected rural settlements, including Nasarawa-Burkulu, Gurusu, and Adabka, have been overwhelmed, with many patients being treated at home due to lack of primary health care facilities.

"Currently we have more than 21 patients being treated, although three died due to delays in reaching the Nasarawa General Hospital," Muhammad Jibci, the village head of Gurusu, told Reuters by telephone on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Ya'u Umar, another resident of the affected settlement, said 53 people were infected in his village.

"We don't have any drugs or infusions. The bandits prevent us from going to the city," he said.

OCcurrence, a water-borne disease, is not uncommon in Nigeria, where health officials mention widespread lack of clean water in rural areas and urban slums.

Meanwhile, Zamfara State is the center of attack by gunmen, known to local residents as bandits, where rising violence in recent months has made travel and agriculture dangerous.

Armed gangs routinely kidnap villagers and travelers for ransom and extort agricultural settlements.

Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, a federal lawmaker, called for immediate action from the Zamfara Government and international NGOs.

"Any delay will result in more casualties, especially among women and children", he said, urging the deployment of an emergency response team andning center.

Health authorities Zamfara itself has not issued an official statement about the outbreak.