Somalia now faces cholera epidemic

GENEVA - World Health Organization officials said yesterday that famine-stricken Somalia faces a cholera epidemic as dirty water and poor sanitation are leading to an increase in outbreaks of the disease.

Officials say cases of acute watery diarrhea - an important indicator of the risk of cholera - are now at 4,272 in Somalia - an 11 percent increase from last week’s WHO reported figure of 3,839.

WHO public health adviser Dr. Michel Yao told reporters in Geneva yesterday that the number of cholera cases has also risen sharply this year, with officials confirming 18 cases in the 30 lab samples taken in recent days from people living in the capital, Mogadishu.