The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says Nigeria has the second highest cases of cholera outbreak in West and Central Africa. Regional Director for West and Central Africa Gilles Fagninou said yesterday cholera outbreak in Nigeria had become endemic.

He said: “Cholera remains endemic in Nigeria, with the country experiencing recurrent major outbreaks in recent years.” “As of end of June, Nigeria recorded 3,109 suspected cholera cases and 86 deaths across 34 states.”

The UN official added that the figure made Nigeria the second most affected country in the West and Central Africa region. He noted that cholera outbreak in the West and Central African region posed crisis for children.

He said some 80,000 children were estimated to be at high risk of cholera in West and Central Africa as the rainy season began across the region.

According to him, the heavy rains, widespread flooding and the high level of displacement are all fuelling the risk of cholera transmission and putting the lives of children at risk.

He explained that cholera was an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with bacteria. The disease can be treated with oral rehydration solution and antibiotics but can be fatal within hours if untreated.