Haiti reports 330 deaths from cholera

Port-au-Prince, Agency
The death toll from Haiti's cholera outbreak has reached 330, authorities said here Friday.
Though the illness continues to spread, steps taken to contain the malady are beginning to bear fruit, according to the director-general of the health ministry, Dr. Gabriel Timothee.

Of the current 4,714 suspected cases of cholera, only 81 patients have undergone the relevant tests, Timothee said, adding that 34 of those patients tested positive for the illness.

Twenty-six of the confirmed cases were among residents of the Artibonite Valley, the epicenter of the outbreak.

The international community has provided "massive" humanitarian assistance since the outbreak was detected last week, Timothee said, citing the donation of 400,000 mattresses by the U.S. government.

Medical supplies from international donors will be held in reserve in case the outbreak grows worse, he said.

Fear of cholera has prompted many Haitians to stop buying fare from street vendors and to eschew seafood and vegetables, even though the government has only warned against eating uncooked seafood.