Cholera outbreak kills 12 in Niger: Health minister

Niger's health minister announced Monday that 213 cases of cholera including 12 deaths were recorded in the country's Zinder, Dosso and Maradi regions.

"The situation is under control," local media quoted Idi Illiassou Mainassara as saying, indicating the measures taken by the authorities for prevention and treatment.

Mainassara said the cholera germ was identified during analyses carried out after several cases of diarrhea and vomiting in the country.

Among other things, he cited the strengthening of surveillance following information received from Nigeria.

Since the beginning of the year, 709 samples in neighboring Nigeria have been collected with positive cases, according to a report from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control.

"As of Aug. 1, 2021, a total of 31,425 suspected cases including 816 deaths have been reported from 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory," it added.