The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on West African countries to adopt emergency measures to contain the spread of a cholera epidemic that has killed nearly 500 people in the region so far this year.

Cholera has sickened more than 30,000 people in nine West African countries since June, of whom 488 are dead, the WHO said in a communique.

WHO representative to Senegal John Mulangu pointed out that the countries in the region must reinforce their efforts to fight the epidemic and try to contain the disease as quickly as possible.

According to the WHO statistics, about 20,000 cholera cases have been recorded in Senegal, 10,000 in Guinea-Bissau, 4,000 in Liberia, 1,300 in Guinea, 1,000 in Mauritania, 400 in Burkina Faso, 200 in Niger and 150 in Mali since early this year.

Cholera, a bacterial infection of the intestine, is often transmitted by contaminated water, rarely a problem in rich nations but common in the world's poorest regions.

The waterborne disease can kill victims within 24 hours by inducing vomiting and diarrhoea that cause severe dehydration, but is treatable if patients are rehydrated quickly.

Source: Xinhua