Yangon cholera outbreak hospitalises 500, official says

A Yangon cholera outbreak has sent 500 people to hospital with severe diarrhoea since August 9, regional social affairs minister Bo Htay said on August 17.

Bo Htay told the Yangon regional parliament that rapid tests had shown 149 positive cholera cases. He said nine of those had been formally confirmed as vibrio cholerae cases by the National Health Laboratory.

The comments were the first official confirmation that cholera was involved, more than a week after the first hospital admissions.

Bo Htay said more than 100 new patients were admitted to hospital on August 13, but that new cases had since declined.

A 92-year-old patient died after being admitted to hospital with diarrhoea, but the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar cited officials on August 16 as saying he had died from underlying heart and lung conditions.

The newspaper cited officials as saying health personnel were carrying out epidemiological surveillance and outbreak-control measures in affected areas.

Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal infection caused by consuming contaminated food or water and can be fatal within hours if not treated.