More than 5,000 cases reported in cholera outbreak

As of Tuesday, the Ministry of Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported 5,021 cases of cholera and 407 deaths in the southeastern Katanga Province, since the outbreak began in November last year. "A total of eight health zones in Katanga Province, including the city of Lubumbashi, have been affected, including Ankoro, Kabolo, Kongolo and Kalemie in the northern part of the province," a statement from the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday. "The outbreak had affected both the northern and southern parts of Katanga," WHO Country Representative Dr Leonard Tapsoba told IRIN on Wednesday. He said that the DRC's health minister, officials from United Nations Children's Fund, WHO and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator were in the field trying to address the situation. Health workers from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF Belgium, MSF France and MSF Spain) were on the ground too, the WHO statement said. "An inter-agency committee was set up and has put in place outbreak control measures, including case management, preventative measures, social mobilisation and training, surveillance and operational training activities," the statement added.