Health Report.An outbreak of cholerain Haiti continuesto spread sickness and worry.Health officials are worriedthat the capital could suffera major outbreak of the disease.So far most casesin Port-au-Prince have been foundin people who arrivedin the city already sick.But now health officialshave confirmed the first casein a boy who had notleft the city for at least a year.And there are other suspectedcases in the Haitian capital.Cholera causes diarrheaand vomiting.It robs the body of fluids.People can get choleraif they eat foodsor drink liquidscontaining the bacteriathat cause the infection.Cholera is not hard to treat.Basically, patients drinka solution of salt,sugar and water.The problem is that helpis not always available quickly.If cholera is not treated,it can kill within hours,especially in people alreadyin weakened conditions.The earthquake in Januarydisplaced large numbers of people.It forced them into crowded,dirty conditions in tent camps-- in other words,the perfect environmentfor cholera.The outbreak in Haitihas already killedseveral hundred people.The country's lastmajor outbreak of the diseasewas more thanone hundred years ago.Disease-control expertsfrom the United Statesconfirmed the first casesof cholera in Haition October twenty-firstin the Artibonite area.The outbreak was mostlylimited to that areauntil a powerful stormstruck Haiti last Friday.Hurricane Tomas causedheavy rains and floodingand some deaths.The number of cholera caseshad been dropping last weekbut then rose sharplyafter the storm.Medical workers in Haitiare now trying to spreadthe message not to useriver water withoutsome form of purification.People are being urgedto take steps like addinga small amount of bleachto the water or boiling itfor at least a full minute.Workers are also strugglingto provide clean bottled waterand water purification tablets.People are being urgedto wash their handscarefully with soapand purified waterafter using the toiletor changing a baby's diaper.The same advice goes forbefore eating, and beforeand after preparing food.If no soap is available,then ash can be used instead.And that's the VOA Special EnglishHealth Report,written by Caty Weaver.You can read transcriptsand download our programsat 51voa.com.We're also on Facebook,Twitter and YouTubeat VOA Learning English.