President Koroma declares cholera outbreak infections

President Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone has declared the outbreak of cholera which has infected more than ten thousand people and killed at least 176 since January a national emergency.

Authorities have therefore appealed for international assistance to help contain the spread of the disease.

There have been 100 deaths in the capital, Freetown in the last month.

The International Federation of the Red Cross, IFRC and Red Crescent Societies said, the number of cases have spiked since the middle of last month, which is the beginning of the rainy season, with six thousand cases reported in the past five weeks alone.

Neighbouring Guinea, which has also been affected by an outbreak, has seen the death of at least 82 people since February.

BBC