Cholera count rises as disease spreads

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday that the number of cases of cholera in Basra, southern Iraq, had risen to 65 since the outbreak began, and reported that the disease had spread into neighbouring Maysan Governorate. Fadela Chaib, a spokeswoman for WHO, said although there had been no reported cholera deaths, the number of cases had continued to rise since the outbreak began on 5 May, adding that it was far from over. "We know there's cholera in Maysan, but we don't know how many cases. Of 17 samples we sent to Kuwait for laboratory testing, three came out positive," Chaib said, adding that WHO would be sending an assessment team into the Maysan Governorate on Saturday to determine the extent of the outbreak there. [For more information on cholera see: www.who.int]