"Epidemiological evidence indicates that the entire country is at risk," the ministry said in a statement.

"Reports received so far from 11 states show we have recorded 6,437 cases with 352 deaths from cholera this year. Most of the outbreaks occurred in the northwest and northeast zones" of the country, it stated.

Surveys carried out by the ministry showed that less than 40 percent of the population in the affected states have access to adequate toilet facilities, the statement said.

Some 66 percent of the rural population also lacks access to safe drinking water, it said. A major cause of cholera is contaminated food or water.

Cholera causes serious diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to dehydration. With a short incubation period, it can be fatal if not treated in time.

Eighty-three people have also died of measles between January and August in 11 states, while 5,073 others have been infected, the statement said.

The ministry said that it will procure drugs and vaccines, as well as provide technical assistance to the states hit by the outbreaks. It plans to increase public awareness on symptons and prevention.

In addition, World Health Organisation figures indicate that 42 people have died in northeastern Yobe State in the past week from a form of gastro-enteritis, characterised by vomiting and diarrhoea, which are also cholera symptoms.

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola

Chile seeks advice from NASA on feeding trapped miners Chilean miners' rescue operation to last months New Orleans police still pay for Katrina sins 5 years on UN to meet on Pakistan aid, 4.6 million without shelter Amazon says new Kindle a best seller Nokia and Intel launch joint research lab Smartphones to make up over half of Asian sales by 2015 Scientist: World's helium being squandered Japan high-tech toilet makers flush with success EU warns Iceland, Faroes over 'mackerel war' WHOI Scientists Map And Confirm Origin Of Large, Underwater Hydrocarbon Plume In Gulf Limiting Ocean Acidification Under Global Change Is The Ice In The Arctic Ocean Getting Thinner And Thinner Resolving The Paradox Of The Antarctic Sea Ice Indonesian Ice Field May Be Gone In A Matter Of Years Puzzle of Antarctic ice solved? Pakistan cotton crop failure hands opportunity to India Food prices soar in Russia after drought Flour appeared on menus 10,000 years ago Rising prices fuel scramble for PotashCorp Surfing For Earthquakes Pakistan warns of new floods as UN says 800,000 cut off Colombia volcano placed on red alert Frank becomes a hurricane in Pacific, veers away from Mexico S.Africa defends Chinese expansion in Africa S.Africa's Zuma in China for talks on growing ties Somali peacekeepers may boost troops South Africa's Zuma visits key partner China to boost ties The Mother Of All Humans Giant Chinese 'Michelin baby' startles doctors: reports Mother Of All Humans Lived 200,000 Years Ago Humans Trump Nature On Texas River