Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

Nigeria's cholera epidemic kills more than 1,500: UNICEF




GENEVA (AFP) – About 1,555 people have died of cholera in Nigeria this year, marking a likely peak in a three-year-old surge in the disease in the country, the UN Children's Fund said on Friday.

"Nigeria is reporting its highest caseloads of cholera in recent years, 38,173 cases, including 1,555 deaths as of October 20," said UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado.

"My understanding is that it is peaking right now. It seems like that it has been contained but there are still new cases," from already affected states mainly in the north, she told journalists in Geneva.

On August 25, Nigeria's health ministry warned that the epidemic was starting to pose a threat to the entire country after 6,437 cases were recorded including 352 deaths this year.

Cholera is endemic in Nigeria, but the caseload started to accelerate from 1,661 cases in 2007, reaching 13,691 last year, according to UN data.

UNICEF said 80 percent of those who fell ill were women and children.

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[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

Nigeria experiencing worst cholera outbreak in years, UN reports


Clean water is essential in containing the spread of cholera

22 October 2010 ? Nigeria is in the midst of its worst cholera outbreak in recent years, with nearly 40,000 cases and more than 1,500 deaths reported since the start of the year, the United Nations reported today.

The number of cases so far in 2010 is nearly three times the total for all of last year and 7 times that of 2008, according to the UN Children?s Fund (UNICEF). The Red Cross estimates that women and children account for 80 per cent of this year?s cases.

Although the spread of cholera seems to have been largely contained, new cases are still being reported from already-affected states, especially in Nigeria?s northeast.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection picked up through contaminated food or water. It can result in diarrhoea that can lead to severe dehydration and even death without prompt treatment.

The fatality rate from the disease is 4.5 per cent overall in Nigeria, but the proportion of affected people dying of cholera is above 10 per cent in states that are either severely flooded or are home to large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The rate has reached 20 per cent in Plateau, 17 per cent in Sokoto and 11 per cent in Gombe.

UNICEF is supporting efforts to promote hygiene and is supplying camps and flood-affected communities with supplies to treat cholera.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) attributed the unusually high cholera incidence to seasonal factors, combined with poor hygiene conditions and population movements in the area, which is regularly affected by small outbreaks.

Together with health partners, the agency is providing technical support to Nigeria?s Ministry of Health.

UN Newscentre

[Shiloh]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

Source: http://www.thisdayonline.info/nview.php?id=189481

Cholera Claims 4 Lives, 19 Hospitalised
From Saka Ibrahim in Birnin Kebbi, 12.07.2010

The outbreak of cholera in Argungu Local Government area of Kebbi State has claimed four lives with 91 others hospitalized.
The state commissioner for health, Alhaji Sadiq Dakingari who confirmed the outbreak to THISDAY yesterday in his office, said epidemiologists have been drafted to the local government in in order to prevent the spread of the epidemic to other local government councils...

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

Fresh cholera kills 13 in northern Nigeria: official
(AFP) ? 8 hours ago

KANO, Nigeria ? A fresh cholera outbreak has killed 13 people, while 112 others have been hospitalised since the weekend in northern Nigeria's Kebbi State, the heath commissioner said Wednesday.

"We have 13 deaths out of 125 cholera cases we have recorded since Sunday and these figures are from hospital records," Sadiq Dakingari told AFP.

...

In October, the United Nations Children's Fund said some 1,555 people had died of the disease in Nigeria this year.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gwzIqU4Bh-nTnLRm26d9-qYBZOoQ?docId=CNG.343501a3d8255b32e4db8d6520df8bbc.1f1

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

FRESH CHOLERA OUTBREAK: 300 dead in Adamawa
News Dec 13, 2010 By Umar Yusuf

YOLA—No fewer than 100 persons are feared dead as a water borne disease, confirmed to be cholera, ravaged the entire five local government areas of Adamawa Southern Senatorial Zone: Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Mubi North and Mubi South.

A similar outbreak in May and June left over 200 persons dead, and the zone declared epidemic disaster area.
Local community sources disclosed to Vanguard weekend in Yola that the outbreak of the disease this time around was first noticed penultimate Thursday, and had engulfed the entire five local government areas as at yesterday.

According to the sources, the spread of the disease looks was very fast as the epidemic looked like it was being spread by the wind.

continues at; http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/f...ad-in-adamawa/

[Shiloh]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

Source: http://www.thisdayonline.info/nview.php?id=189817

Cholera Outbreak Kills 350 in Adamawa
From Matthew Onah in Yola, 12.12.2010

Afresh out-break of cholera epidemic has killed at-least 350 persons, mostly children and the elderly, in the northern part of Adamawa State in the last one week.

The epidemic , which is sweeping the local governments councils of Michika, Madagali, Maiha , and Mubi north and south areas, is the second time within the year that the disease is occurring, leaving high toll of casualties.
The five local government councils which constitute the northern senatorial zone, was declared a disaster area earlier in May and June 2010 , when over 400 persons lost their lives to the epidemic...

[sharon sanders]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

Sent to ProMED.

[Pathfinder]

Re: Nigeria: 2010 Cholera outbreaks - more than 1,500 fatalities

<TABLE id=apex_layout_271110100662109808 class=formlayout border=0 summary=""><TBODY><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Archive Number</TD><TD noWrap align=left>20101219.4477</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Published Date</TD><TD noWrap align=left>19-DEC-2010</TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>Subject</TD><TD noWrap align=left>PRO/EDR> Organochlorine poisoning, fatal - Nigeria: not cholera</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

ORGANOCHLORINE POISONING, FATAL - NIGERIA: NOT CHOLERA
************************************************** ****
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: 17 Dec 2010
Source: Vanguard Online [edited]
<http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/gammalin-20not-cholera-caused-of-mass-killing-in-adamawa-says-govt/>


Gammalin 20, not cholera, caused mass killing in Adamawa, says government
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adamawa state Government has given more insight into the outbreak of
[suspected] cholera in the northern senatorial district of the state
which has so far claimed over 300 lives.

The State commissioner for health, Dr Tijjani Maksha, told newsmen in
Yola Friday (17 Dec 2010) that the killer disease is not cholera, but
a waterborne disease linked to Gammalin 20.

According to the state commissioner, a river that runs through all the
5 local Governments was poisoned with Gammalin 20 either by fishermen
or saboteurs resulting in the massive killing of people, especially
children and the aged.

Dr. Maksha disclosed that a team of medical experts drafted to the
area said that the rising death toll occasioned by the epidemic is
associated with the poisoning of river tributaries in all the local
governments in the northern parts of the state. He added that
concerted moves are on to combat the epidemic scourge, even as the
death toll has continued to rise.

But, he was quick to add that things being equal, the ravaging
epidemic is under control already. He gave an assurance that the
affected local government, especially the communities using the rivers
as their main sources of drinking water, have been directed to stop
forthwith as alternative sources are being provided for them.

The councils are Michika, Madagali, Mubi North, Mubi South and Maiha.

[Byline: Umar Yusuf]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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[Gammalin 20 is a marketed name for the organocholorine chemical
compound more commonly known as lindane.

Hexachlorocyclohexane gamma-, also known as HCH gamma- or lindane, is
a white solid that turns into a vapor when released into the air. Once
released, it looks colorless but has a musty odor. HCH gamma- is a
man-made chemical and it exists in 8 different forms.

There are several ways that you can be exposed to HCH gamma-. You can
be exposed by eating HCH gamma- contaminated food like plants, meat or
dairy products (milk). You could breathe contaminated air if your
workplace makes or uses HCH gamma-. It is possible to be exposed by
drinking HCH contaminated water or by breathing HCH released from
waste sites or landfills. You could be exposed through skin contact if
you use soaps, lotions or shampoo containing HCH gamma- that help
treat and control head and body lice and scabies. Nursing mothers that
have been exposed to HCH gamma- can pass it on to their babies in
breast milk.

Workers exposed to HCH gamma- while making pesticides showed signs of
lung irritation, heart disorders, blood disorders, headache,
convulsions, and changes in sex hormones. Humans and animals exposed
to large amounts of HCH gamma- died. Reports show that some people who
swallowed high doses of HCH gamma- had seizures and some died. Others
exposed to very large doses developed blood disorders and had
seizures. People who breathed HCH gamma- in the workplace developed
blood disorders, experienced dizziness, headaches, and showed changes
in the levels of sex hormones.

HCH gamma- can get into your body when you eat foods that contain the
substance. When you breathe contaminated air, HCH gamma- can get into
your lungs. When you use HCH gamma- containing products to remove lice
and scabies, the substance can enter your body through your skin. Once
in your body, the HCH gamma is stored for a short time in body fat.
HCH gamma tends to leave the body very quickly through urine. Small
amounts leave the body in feces and when you exhale (breathe out).

Lindane has been used in human and animal medicine to treat scabies.
However, organochlorines have been shown to block GABA
neurotransmitters and is a neurotoxin. Additionally both high doses
and prolonged use have resulted in liver, kidney and neurological
dysfunction. Consumption of high doses over long periods of time do
not have documented consequences.

As topical drug on the skin it rarely causes a reaction, although it
has caused skin irritation and rarely seizures.

While very high doses, prolonged use, or consumption of the chemical
has resulted in adverse health effects, including death, the fact that
this chemical is in the water should dilute the chemical concentration
and its effects. However, those with previous health conditions may be
weakened in some way and more susceptible.

I am uncertain if cholera is actually persisting in the region and
this chemical spill is a coincidence because generally the clinical
signs associated with lindane or other related organochlorine
intoxications do not seem that closely related to the clinical signs
of cholera. However, I am not certain which form of the chemical or
the concentration of the chemical was found in the water. So I suppose
misdiagnosing this "outbreak" as cholera is possible, but it seems a
stretch to me.

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