Afghan Capital Said on Verge of Epidemic (cholera

[wakeme2008]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Afghan-Cholera-Outbreak.html

June 14, 2005
Afghan Capital Said on Verge of Epidemic
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 4:09 a.m. ET

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The Afghan capital is on the verge of a cholera epidemic, with more than 2,000 cases of the disease and at least eight deaths reported in recent weeks, a health expert warned Tuesday.

Afghanistan's Health Ministry on Monday confirmed up to 300 cases, but claimed they have been dealt with and there had been no fatalities. It said there was no risk of the disease spreading.

But on Tuesday, Fred Hartman, technical director for a USAID-backed health and development program, told The Associated Press that eight or nine people had died in the past two weeks, and warned the disease could spread quickly throughout the city's 4 million population.

''An epidemic is about to break out here. Over two thousand cases have been reported so far,'' said Hartman, who has been involved with efforts to contain the outbreak.

.... more at link....

Thanks Georgie......