ABUJA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Nine deaths have been recorded following an outbreak of cholera in Nigeria's northeastern state of Bauchi, local authorities confirmed on Friday.
A total of 324 cases of cholera have been confirmed so far across five districts in the state, local officials said.
The State Commissioner for Health Zuwaira Hassan told Xinhua that a cholera isolation center has been set up to care for the patients.
According to Hassan, the facility is now active, with at least 26 patients admitted.
She said poor hygiene and open defecation are likely causes of the present outbreak of cholera in the northern state.
The infectious cholera disease causes severe watery diarrhea and can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated.
