In the past week, at least three people have died in Minawao refugee camp and 81 have been infected by the bacteria, which spreads through dirty water and food, VOA reports.
Authorities in Cameroon say they are struggling to contain a cholera outbreak in an overcrowded refugee camp on its border with Nigeria.
In the past week, at least three people have died in Minawao refugee camp and 81 have been infected by the bacteria, which spreads through dirty water and food, VOA reports.
The camp located on Cameroon’s northern border is home to 76,000 Nigerians who have fled Boko Haram terrorist attacks. The camp was designed to hold fewer than 15,000 refugees but currently has more than five times that number.
The spokesperson for UNHCR Cameroon, Helen Ngoh, says the U.N. body needs support to contain the ongoing wave of infections and to prevent future outbreaks in the refugee camp.
"In Minawao specifically UNHCR needs at least 450,000 U.S. dollars to be able to increase potable water supply and also to be able to cover an existing gap of 900 latrines and to be able to improve waste management in the camp as well. All of these needs are extremely urgent at this point," she said.
UNHCR says it is investigating suspected cases and treating patients free of charge. The refugee agency says it is also finding out if the disease has spread to host communities.
Ngoh said several hundred humanitarian workers have been deployed to the camp and host communities to educate refugees on prevention measures, which she said are basically respecting hygiene rules.
Nigerian refugee Special Bulama is among the aid workers raising awareness about the outbreak and teaching civilians good hygiene practices.
Bulama says he has personally spoken about the disease to scores of families in the camp.
"We are telling the refugees to take care of themselves, they must boil water before they take [drink], they must wash their hands with Sabulu [soap], keep their latrines very safe because flies can take this disease to their food or to their water.
We are telling them to help us to avoid this problem of cholera," he said.
The U.N. reports that up to October, more than 1,000 cases of cholera were reported in Nigeria.
Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health has confirmed the outbreak. Government health officials say at least 22 people have died of cholera in several villages on Cameroon's northern border with Nigeria and Chad.
Humanitarian workers and health officials say many more people may be infected or are feared dead in difficult-to-access villages within the past two weeks.