Iraq water plant source of cholera outbreak-minister

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

SULAIMANIYA, Iraq, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Health officials have traced the source of an outbreak of cholera in Iraq's northern Sulaimaniya province to a water treatment plant, a regional health minister said on Thursday.

Zairyan Othman, health minister for Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, has warned of a catastrophe unless the outbreak is quickly contained. There are nearly 4,000 suspected cases in Sulaimaniya and the neighbouring province of Kirkuk.

Othman told Reuters on Thursday samples taken from the water treatment plant showed the presence of the bacterium that causes cholera, an acute intestinal infection that is spread through contaminated food and water.

"This is the main reason for cholera spreading so quickly in Sulaimaniya," Othman said.

He said the plant, which serves the whole of Sulaimaniya, was to be shut for 24 hours to clean its filters. Most Sulaimaniya residents rely on bottled water or wells.

Read more: http://wap.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL047610.htm

[spinbaby]

1. See how grateful they are to have water!

Things are getting better in Iraq every day!

:sarcasm:

[Maribelle]

2. Billions of dollars in foreign aid have flooded this area, and business men now flash gold jewelry

Too bad the corrupt and greedy thugs cannot give their children clean water to drink.

[thereismore]

3. Could dumping of corpses into reservoirs cause cholera? I wonder. nt