The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that Tanzania is facing a major cholera outbreak, counting nearly 5,000 cases and dozens of deaths. WHO said that from August through October 21, 4,922 cases of cholera had been tallied in 12 regions of Tanzania, with 74 deaths. Cholera, which is transmitted through contaminated drinking water and causes acute diarrhea, is endemic in the region, and head of WHO's cholera unit Dominique Legros warned that the looming rainy season, with a "very bad" forecast, threatened to push the outbreak beyond Tanzania's border. "We have to really be ready for this and try to control the outbreak as soon as possible in Tanzania," Legros said. WHO says that $2 million are needed urgently to boost efforts to control the outbreak, including water trucks, chlorinating water, and treatment for the sick.
