Malaria fear stalks Burma survivors

REPORTS of malaria outbreaks and diarrhoea in areas of Burma hit by the cyclone have left health experts desperate to prevent widespread illness.

An early estimate had 20% of children suffering from diarrhoea in the worst-affected areas, and there were concerns the situation could worsen, said a Unicef’s spokesman in Rangoon.

“Most of the area is covered by dirty water,” he said. “There’s a lot of dead bodies, and (survivors) have very poor access — sometimes no access — to clean drinking water or food.”