An outbreak of cholera in Senegal has killed 117 people over the past month, the worst outbreak in almost a decade, a senior health official was quoted by Reuters as saying on Thursday. The water-borne disease broke out as hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Senegal's remote city of Touba a month ago, making it easier for infections to spread and stretching basic health facilities. "We have recorded 117 deaths from a total of 8,296 cases (since March 28)," public health director Babacar Drame told Reuters. That compared to a death toll of 50 by April 6. Drame said the situation was being brought under control with six out of 11 regions now free of the disease, an intestinal infection spread by contaminated water and food. Cholera killed 11 people in Senegal last year with 1,371 cases reported, according to health ministry figures. The previous worst outbreak of cholera in the West African country was in late 1995 and 1996. --SP 0021 Local Time 2121 GMT
