QURGHON TEPPA, July 22, 2011, Asia-Plus - Medical workers in the southern Khatlon province are seriously concerned over an outbreak of cholera in neighboring Afghanistan.

The Khatlon health directorate head Sherali Buzmakov stated this at a news conference in Qurghon Teppa, the capital of Khatlon province on July 22.

“To study the situation in border districts, the regional health directorate has set up several working groups,” said Buzmakov, “We consider these measures will allow preventing spread of the disease in our province.”

According to him, Tajik medical workers are currently also working at the customs checkpoint Nizhny Panj, examining all persons proceeding via the crossing.

According to some media outlets, cholera spread in Kandahar and Zabul provinces in June.  The Pazhwok Afghan News (PAN) reported on June 18 that a sudden outbreak of cholera in southeastern Afghanistan killed at least fourteen people and infected dozens more.