Cameroon: 155 die, more than 2,000 affected in country’s worst cholera outbreak in years

UNICEF: 155 die in Cameroon cholera outbreak

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — The U.N. children’s fund says it’s urgently sending medical supplies to thousands of people affected by Cameroon’s worst cholera outbreak since 2004.

UNICEF representative Ora Musu Clemens-Hope said Tuesday that aid officials fear the outbreak may spread to neighboring West African countries including Nigeria, Chad and Central African Republic.

UNICEF says the outbreak that started in May in Cameroon’s north has killed 155 people out of more than 2,000 confirmed cases.

UNICEF is distributing supplies for medical workers and water treatment kits for families, along with medication. The waterborne infection is highly contagious yet easily preventable with clean water and sanitation.