The United Nations says over 1,600 cases of cholera have been confirmed in Iraq in the past month and the humanitarian situation in the country is worsening with more than 8.6 million people in need of assistance.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Wednesday the main accelerators of the cholera outbreak are broken water supply systems and the lack of sufficient chlorine in the country to provide clean water.
On Sept. 22, there were at least 54 cases. The U.N. said that according to the World Health Organization and Iraq's Ministry of Health there were over 1,600 cases on Oct. 15, almost 40 per cent in Babylon
The U.N. said the humanitarian deterioration is a result of conflict, funding shortfalls and diminished ability of people to cope.
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