A cholera outbreak killed 13 people in the West African nation of Niger, a UN body said.

The outbreak is concentrated in the southern region of Maradi since the beginning of this month, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a statement on Saturday.

At least 993 cases have been reported so far with children aged 1-15 years being affected the most.

Health Minister Iliassou Mainassara said that his office is working to control the epidemic.

Experts fear a rise in casualties.

Cholera if left untreated is fatal with symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, swelling, and vomiting. It is mostly caused by consuming contaminated food or water.

The disease affects developing countries with poor sanitation facilities, claiming 21,000 to 143,000 lives worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. (Anadolu)