Rio Cobre contamination could lead to cholera outbreak

Medical Officer of Health for St. Catherine, Dr. Francia Prosper-Chen says the constant contamination of the Rio Cobre could lead to an outbreak of the deadly cholera disease, in the parish.

In her report, which was read at the recent sitting of the St. Catherine Parish Council by Acting Chief Public Health Inspector, Richard Baker, Dr. Prosper-Chen stated that based on observations by her department, the river is being contaminated on a daily basis.

“The Rio Cobre that runs through St. Catherine is under threat of contamination every day as a result of sometime indiscriminate abuse. We need to identify these assaults and make a concerted effort to put measures in place to mitigate a disaster,” Mr. Baker said.

It is against this background that she is calling for the relevant authorities to move swiftly, to prevent any re-emergence of cholera, in the country,