62 confirmed cholera cases in Algeria: Health Ministry

By Abdul Razzaq bin Abdullah

ALGIERS

The number of confirmed cholera cases in Algeria has risen to 62 -- including two deaths -- since the disease first reared its head in the country earlier this month, the country’s Health Ministry said Wednesday.

According to a ministry statement, 62 cases had been confirmed as of Tuesday with another 173 suspected cases.

“All preventive measures have been taken with a view to preempting the spread of the disease,” the statement read.

Since cases of the disease first appeared in mid-August, the Algerian health authorities have been trying to determine its source.

The Health Ministry had earlier attributed its appearance to contaminated water in Tipaza State west of the capital -- an assertion later denied by local authorities.

Cholera, which has not been seen in Algeria for more than two decades, is an infectious disease that causes severe diarrhea.

It is potentially fatal if the sufferer does not receive proper medical treatment.