A cholera outbreak has posed a serious threat to people in Syria and the wider area according to the United Nations. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria Imran Riza said the cholera outbreak is believed to be linked to contaminated irrigation water that has been watering crops, or from people drinking from the Euphrates river.
70% of the 936 cases of cholera have been reported in Aleppo and 20% have been reported in Deir Az Zor in the east. These cases have occurred since August 25 and the World Health Organization has recorded eight deaths from the disease since the start of the outbreak. There are 26 confirmed cases as of Tuesday. The UN states that this outbreak emphasizes the water shortages in Syria as much of the population relies on unsafe water sources.
Read More: UN warns of ‘serious threat’ from Syria cholera outbreak
