Thirty people have died in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from the severe form of dysentery called Shigella that has infected 700 others.
While PNG’s limited health system is dealing with Shigella, to the north in Wasu, 13 people have died amid the country’s first outbreak of cholera and 200 others have contracted the water-borne disease.
PNG health officials are combating simultaneous outbreaks of the Flu, Shigella, and Cholera.
All totaled 120 people are dead and the diseases, mostly in the Morobe province on the country’s north coast, have infected thousands.
It is Papua New Guinea’s first cholera outbreak and medics fear the situation will get much worse before it gets better.
Radio New Zealand is monitoring this medical emergency.