Minister of Health announces reduction in cholera cases

Accra, June 10, GNA - Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Minister of Health has announced a reduction in the reported cases of cholera.

He said as at last week only three cases were confirmed to be cholera as against the 8,870 cases reported from September 2010 with 94 deaths.

Mr Chireh who made this known on the floor of Parliament said pre-disposing factors for the outbreak the disease included over-populated communities with poor sanitation and unsafe domestic water, floods leading to contamination of domestic water sources with faecal matter.

He said the other causes included inadequate quantities of treated water supply, poor waste disposal systems, especially liquid waste, poor personal hygiene and poor food hygiene.

Mr Chireh said cholera was an acute bacteria disease of the intestines characterised by sudden onset of profuse painless water diarrhoea, occasional vomiting, rapid dehydration, circulatory collapse and even death if not treated immediately.