Cholera outbreak kills 38 near Ndjamena

A cholera outbreak in and around N'djamena, the capital of Chad, has infected more than 600 people over the past month and 38 have died, an official of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Belgium said on Friday.

"To date, more than 600 peope have been infected by cholera and 38 have died", Josette Benamane, the newly appointed MSF Belgium Coordinator in N'djamena, told IRIN.

She said the main cholera treatment centre at N'djamena's Liberte hospital was saturated and the authorities planned to open a second cholera treatment centre shortly.

Benamane said the first cases of cholera were registered in early July in villages near Lake Chad, to the north of the capital, but the number of new cases mushroomed last week following heavy rains.

Doctor Hawai Adoum, the coordinator of the cholera unit at Liberte hospital, said: "We have managed to get on top of the situation because the mortality rate is now down to two percent. That proves the situation is under control."

However, she added: "We are still admitting an average of 10 new cases per day and need more reception centres to handle them."

Cholera epidemics are normally caused by poor sanitation and polluted drinking water. They are perennial hazard during the rainy season in much of West Africa as latrines overflow and wells become polluted.

The disease causes violent diarrhea and vomiting which leads to rapid dehydration of the body. It can prove fatal unless treated quickly.