WHO affirms cholera threat in Lebanon as displaced populations grow

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that the risk of a cholera outbreak in Lebanon is "very high" after confirming the first case of the bacterial disease as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates.

The organization highlighted the risk of cholera spreading among the hundreds of thousands who have been displaced since Israel escalated its military campaign against Hezbollah and began ground operations aimed at pushing the group’s fighters away from its northern border.

WHO Representative in Lebanon, Abdinasir Abubakar, told reporters during a video press conference, "If the cholera outbreak reaches the newly displaced individuals, its spread could be rapid."

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reported a potential cholera case in a Lebanese woman who was admitted to a hospital on Monday.