Cholera Fear in famine-hit Somalia

World Health Organisation officials warned yesterday that famine-hit Somalia is at risk of a cholera epidemic driven by dirty water and poor sanitation.

Officials say cases of acute watery diarrhoea, an important indicator of the risk of cholera, are now at 4,272 in Somalia, an 11 per cent rise on last week.

WHO public health adviser Dr Michel Yao said the number of cholera cases has also risen sharply this year, with officials confirming 18 cases in 30 lab samples taken in recent days from people in Mogadishu.

Mr Yao said the 60 per cent infection rate confirms a "high risk" of the disease spreading quickly - "so we can say we have an epidemic".

Drought and famine in Somalia have already killed more than 29,000 children under the age of five, in the worst drought in 60 years.

New UN figures show the US is the biggest government donor in the Horn of Africa famine, having given around 356 million in aid this year. Britain comes second at 125m, ahead of Japan and Australia. Saudi Arabia is next at 37m, the biggest donor in the Muslim world.

The UN says the world community has given 670m in aid so far, but nearly 800m more is needed to help more than 12 million people in need.