World News

Cholera: Death Toll In Lake Chad Rises To 500

FILE Photo of Chad flag

 

More than 500 people have died from cholera in the Lake Chad region since the start of the year, representing the worst outbreak to hit the area in four years, the UN said on Wednesday.

“Over 27,000 cholera cases and 510 deaths have been reported as of week 35 in Lake Chad Basin,” the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report.

“This is 10 times more than the average cholera caseload over the past four years,” it said.

It said more than six million people could be affected by the outbreak without urgent action to control it.

“The region is facing floods and heavy rains, creating an ideal environment for the outbreak to spread,” OCHA warned.

“The last two major outbreaks in the region were in 2010 and 2014. An outbreak in 2018 is consistent with the four-year cycle.”

The Lake Chad region straddles parts of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, which are also grappling with a jihadist insurgency

OCHA said Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, was the worst-hit with 24,000 cases and said the immediate action was needed to stem the disease.

Cholera is caused by a bacterium transmitted through contaminated food or drinking water. It causes acute diarrhea, with children particularly at risk.

Water-borne diseases are a constant threat in the Lake Chad region because of a lack of adequate sanitation as well as stagnant groundwater during the rainy season.

AFP

Channels Television

Disqus Comments Loading...
Share
Published by
Channels Television

Recent Posts

Soldiers’ Death: Wanted Delta Monarch Turns Self In

Before he turned himself in to the police, the monarch spoke to journalists, insisting on…

2 hours ago

45 Killed As Bus Plunges Off South Africa Bridge

The vehicle had been heading from neighbouring Botswana to Moria in the north of the…

2 hours ago

CBN Pegs Minimum Capital Base For Banks At ₦500bn 

The apex bank said the new minimum capital base for commercial banks with national authorisation…

3 hours ago

Soldiers’ Killing Oil-Related, DSS Should Lead Probe — Urhobo Leader

The Urhobo leader called for an independent probe into the circumstances that led to the…

3 hours ago

Tyrants Won’t Become Leaders In Parliamentary Democracy — Utomi 

The thought leader noted that thriving democracies in the world practice parliamentary democracy.

4 hours ago

Tinubu Appoints Abdullahi Bello As CCB Chairman 

By the presidential pronouncement, Abdullahi Bello replaces Aliyu Kankia, who has been the acting Chairman…

5 hours ago