Lagos, Jul 11 (IANS): A cholera outbreak in Nigeria has killed 325 people in 15 states and the capital Lagos between January and June of this year, according to health authorities.

In an update on Saturday, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) said a total of 14,343 suspected cases of cholera were reported from 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the period, with 325 deaths, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the report, about 27 per cent of suspected cases across the country are those in the five to 14 years bracket.

The health agency added that it has been supporting states to ensure a coordinated, rapid and effective response to the current outbreak, including deployment of rapid response teams to support the response at the state level, provision of medical and laboratory supplies, and scale-up of risk communications amongst other activities.

Cholera is a highly virulent disease characterized in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhoea that can lead to death by severe dehydration.

The outbreak is frequently reported in Nigeria due to the lack of potable water supply, especially in densely populated areas.