The rainy season has begun in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and with it, new cases of cholera. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided grim statistics today with report of 18,000 new cases in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. UN News Centre and WHO Report Source Data from the Ministry of Public Health of Haiti showed that since the beginning of the outbreak until 12 June, there had been 344,623 cases of cholera and 5,397 deaths. The cholera epidemic in Haiti first erupted last October. In the Dominican Republic, the health ministry reported that since the first cases were reported in the country late last year, there have been 1,727 confirmed cases, including 46 deaths. The ministry is continuing its epidemiological research and response, which included improving water quality and sanitation services, and public awareness campaigns on prevention. The occupancy rate of the 2,300 beds in cholera treatment centres in Haiti and the cholera treatment units in the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan area was about 72 per cent. Access to clean water and proper sanitation in Haiti remains the main challenge in fighting the epidemic, according to WHO. This outbreak only caps existing health, sanitation, employment, and logistical problems stemming from the magnitude 7.0 earthquake experienced in January 2010. ----By, Susan Sacirbey Become a Facebook Fan: “Diplomatically Incorrect” and “Diplomat Artist” Follow on TWITTER @ DiplomaticallyX Related Film and Blog Reports: “Haiti Cholera Fight” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/haiti-cholera-fight/24173 “Haiti One Year After, Cholera & Health” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/haiti-one-year-aftercholera-health/23911 “Haiti Year Later, More To Do” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/haiti-year-latermore-to-do/23964 Haiti Child Channels: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/haiti-child Diplomatically Incorrect Channels: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomatically-incorrect