Health officials in Papua New Guinea’s East Sepik Province confirmed that the spread of cholera has reached a critical stage.

As a result five people have lost their lives in the province and a further 90 have been infected with the disease.

The neighboring province Madang was affected by cholera about a month ago after being detected earlier in Morobe.

The situation is critical because cholera is a water borne disease and the people depend on it utilizing the rivers and lakes of the surrounding areas, says Samson Torovi, the East Sepik Provincial Health Administrator.

He adds by saying, “Now we have upgraded the function of the taskforce now into areas of preventive, curative, surveillance, establishment of care centres and we are now developing strategies. Our main objective is to try to contain the infected or affected areas before they spread.”

The province is waiting for the health authorities on Port Moresby to confirm the outbreak prior to the emergency being declared.

The boss of the hospital said that rapid diagnostic kits were dispatched to Angoram by officers this week to check the status of those who have symptoms of the illness.