At least 600 people have died from cholera in Kano

It follows a statement earlier this week by authorities in neighbouring Jigawa State that 100 people have died of cholera there.

The figures, which are dramatically higher than in previous official statements, confirm earlier fears expressed by hospital staff in Kano that an epidemic of crisis proportions has broken out in the area.

Only now is the true severity of the outbreak being admitted by the government in Kano.

Earlier reports of an epidemic in which many hundreds had died were dismissed out of hand by the Kano health commissioner, Dr Mansur Kabir.

But now Dr Kabir has confirmed to journalists that the situation is far worse than he had previously revealed.

Taking action

Medical teams from the World Health Organisation and the UN Children's Fund, Unicef, are now on the ground along with French medical volunteers, Medicins Sans Frontieres.

There is no sign the outbreak has been brought under control

They are all working with the Kano State authorities to bring the situation under control by treating the sick and decontaminating polluted water supplies.

Serious questions remain, however, as to why it took so long for the state authorities to admit the severity of the outbreak.

The warning signs were very apparent.

Hospital records clearly indicated the scale of the problem, with the first cases reported at least four months ago.

Even when the number of cases began to rise dramatically three weeks ago, the authorities continued to issue statements saying that only a handful of people had died.

Now the state authorities are being forced to face up to what has become a major epidemic and there is no sign yet that it is being brought under control.