Iraq: Travel restrictions considered as cholera spreads

[Barrett808]

Source: IRIN

BAGHDAD (IRIN) - The Iraqi government will impose travel restrictions in the country if more cases of cholera are confirmed after a warning by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the disease was spreading in Iraq.

"If we verify more cases of cholera in different areas of Iraq, we will impose travel restrictions to prevent a more serious outbreak. We have already been restricting the movement of food between provinces," said Lt-Col Seif Abdel-Karim, a senior official in the Ministry of Interior.

"Lorries are being checked as they travel from northern governorates to central and southern provinces and we have banned the movement of food over the next few days," he said.

...

"The disease is spreading fast and although few deaths have been confirmed, the situation is worrying but WHO and the Iraqi government are working hard to tackle the problem," said Naima al-Gassir, WHO's representative for Iraq.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/12aa66de3f06b4ecfe0d7caa43efb803.htm