Algeria confirms second cholera death amid fears of outbreak

Algerian authorities announced on Saturday a second case of cholera death and an increase of the disease to 139 cases, including 97 that are still under treatment in hospitals.

“A 77-year-old woman died on Friday night and the tests proved that the cause of death was due to a cholera epidemic,” Jamal Furar, Director-General of Preventative Diseases at the Algerian Ministry of Health, told a news conference after meeting with officials from several ministries to assess the situation.

Furar said that the number of suspected cholera cases has now reached 139 in four states: Algiers, Tebessa, Blida and Bouïra, confirming that the tests showed 46 confirmed cholera cases and about 100 suspected cases.

The growing number of cases of cholera in Algeria has created panic among Algerians and concerns about the authorities' inability to control the deadly epidemic. The “cholera in Algeria” hashtag has been trending on Twitter as calls for the need to limit the epidemic and raise awareness among citizens to avoid transmission of infection.