The cholera epidemic ravaging Guinea-Bissau since May has claimed at least 122 lives of the 6,328 cases reported, the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Health Ministry indicated Wednesday. According to the figures, the region of Bissau is the most affected, recording 4.454 cases and 38 deaths, followed by the region of Biombo with 820 cases and 11 dead. “Rains, lack of basic cleansing and stubbornness of population not to comply wit h the authorities’ instructions caused a considerable increase of the number of cases of cholera”, explained the chief of the department in charge of cholera at Bissau-based Simao Mendes hospital. He lamented that because of the population’s behaviour, the epidemic tends to be spreading. The cholera epidemic manifested last May in the south of the country when a lot of people took part in funeral ceremonies where animals were sacrificed.
