ABUJA, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 deaths have been recorded so far in the recent outbreak of cholera across three local government areas in Nigeria's northwestern state of Sokoto, local authorities said.

Asabe Balarabe, state commissioner for health, told reporters in the state capital of Sokoto late Monday that 1,160 suspected cases of the disease have been reported, and 15 of those are active cases confirmed through laboratory tests.

In response to the outbreak, the state government ordered an immediate purchase and distribution of drugs free of charge to 18 out of the 23 local government areas to curtail the disease's spread, Balarabe said, noting rescue teams are being deployed to manage the situation.

Exactly a month ago, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), confirmed a death toll of 378, with suspected cases since the onset in January exceeding 14,000 across the most populous African country.

Jide Idris, head of the NCDC, told reporters at a news conference in Abuja, the country's capital, that "cholera has remained a significant public health challenge, especially in states affected by flooding and poor water and sanitation infrastructure."

The senior public health official identified at least three states in the northwest region as the epicenters of the outbreak.

Cholera, a highly virulent disease characterized in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhea, can lead to death by dehydration. Enditem

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