At least 30 killed by latest cholera outbreak in Nigeria

At least 30 people have been killed in the latest cholera outbreak in Isoko South community of Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State, a health official said Monday.

Steven Ofili, chief epidemiologist at the Delta State health ministry, said prompt response and physical attention of health workers had curbed the spread of the disease.

According to the official, people of the local community had been facing challenges of cholera disease since 2010, when their main source of drinking water was polluted.

He said, rather than seeking medical help at the local health center in the area, the people resorted to traditional medicines and self-medication to cure themselves.

"It was not until after the disease had claimed five lives that they (the local residents) brought it to the knowledge of the local authorities," the official told Xinhua in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

Confirmed cases of cholera were promptly treated at the local health facility where medical workers, in addition to examination and administration of preventive drugs, have been giving tips on how to combat the disease, the senior health official said.

In 2010, more than 30 people had died when the first cholera outbreak was recorded following the pollution of the main source of water supply in the same area of Delta State.

Cholera, an infectious disease, causes severe watery diarrhea and can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. Endi