The Ministry of Health has warned the public about an outbreak of suspected cases of cholera in parts of the Central and Western regions following an acute water shortage in the two regions.

A statement issued on Friday by the Ministry said fifteen suspected cases of cholera had been reported from British Komenda in the Edina Aguafo District of the Central Region with no deaths recorded since the outbreak on 5 May. It said isolated cases of diarrhoea had also been reported from the Jomoro District in the Western Region.

The Ministry assured the general public that it was embarking on control measures at the regional and district levels to bring the situation under control. "The public is encouraged to report all cases of diarrhoea to the nearest health facility for prompt management."

Meanwhile, the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly has called on the government to consider the water situation in the area as a national crisis and to mobilise the requisite resources to solve the problem.

It further appealed to the government to provide at least 10 more water tankers to augment the six supplied by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) as an interim measure to solving the water problem. The assembly said it was becoming difficult to sustain the supply of water since it was being obtained from outside the region.