LAGOS, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- A fresh outbreak of cholera in five local government areas of northern Nigeria's Zamfara State has killed seven persons, according to the latest official report.
Zamfara State Commissioner for Health Saad Idris told a news conference in Gusau, the state capital, on Wednesday that a total of 54 cases had been recorded as a result contaminated water.
He said the affected local government areas are Bungudu, Gusau, Maradun, Shinkafi and Zurmi.
Idris said the ministry had already deployed a rapid response team of medical experts to the affected areas in order to contain the situation.
The commissioner advised the people to desist from drinking contaminated water to curb the spread of the epidemic to other parts of the state.
Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health recently put the cholera death toll at 352.
The north of Nigeria suffers epidemics of diseases such as cholera, measles and meningitis almost every year.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, leading to serious dehydration and can be fatal if not properly treated.
