BY DONALD HOOK

AUSTRALIA HAS SENT emergency medical aid to Daru, the headquarters of PNG’s Western Province, to help contain the cholera outbreak on the island.

At least 16 people are known to have died and more than 300 have been treated for cholera-like symptoms during the past three weeks.

The emergency shipment includes 50,000 water purification tablets, 8,000 litres of clean water, and 1,200 doses of oral rehydration salts.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd says containing the outbreak is important.

“We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and stand ready to provide additional assistance to PNG if needed,” he said.

Mr Rudd said the Australian medical aid is additional to emergency medical supplies delivered through a joint PNG-Australia-World Health Organisation mission that had already arrived in Daru to assess the situation.

Travel between PNG and the Australian Torres Strait islands has been restricted because of the cholera outbreak.