At least 80 people have died in a cholera outbreak in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno. Health officials say nearly 2,000 others are affected. Cholera is an infectious disease that spreads through drinking contaminated water.

The state government has sent medical teams to deal with the crisis while it is reported that most affected are women and children. Alhaji Buba Umar, of the state ministry of health told the Voice of America that it was not clear how the disease had spread.

"It is still a mystery to us but we strongly suspect it could be from contaminated water. Because we asked the same questions and the response was that whenever it rained some people collect water from rooftops, water coming down an they believe, may be it is from there," said Umar. The first cases were reported on Thursday and it is expected that the toll will rise.