Kurdish health officials confirm 10 cholera cases in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah

By Ahmed Asmar

Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) officials on Thursday confirmed the detection of 10 cholera cases in Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq.

“Local health authorities recorded 10 cholera cases in the province,” provincial health official Sabah Hawrami told a press conference.

He said around 70 people have been placed under observation to determine whether they are infected with the disease.

Hawrami noted that around 100 people are admitted to hospitals in Sulaymaniyah every day due to diarrhea and vomiting.

“Not all of them, however, are infected with cholera,” he said, blaming unclean water for the cholera outbreak in the area.

“All measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the disease in the region,” Hawrami said.

Cholera is caused by ingesting bacteria found in contaminated water or food. If left untreated, it could cause death.