GENEVA, Jan 7 (AFP) - Health workers have reported cases of diarrhoea, skin and respiratory illnesses in areas devastated by the tsunamis nearly two weeks ago, but no sign of epidemics, the World Health Organisation said Friday.
"There is no epidemic in Indonesia," said spokeswoman Fadela Chaib, referring to the hardest hit country where about 101,000 people were killed.
"There are cases of diarrhoea, skin and respiratory illnesses, there are also cases of diarrhoea in Sri Lanka and India, but nothing that would constitute an epidemic surge of cholera or other," she told journalists.
Days after the catastrophe, a senior WHO official had warned that disease could kill as many people in south Asia as the tidal waves, unless aid, particularly clean water supplies, reached the area swiftly.
The agency's chief in Asia said Friday they were on "high alert" for possible disease outbreaks.
"The situation across the region is ripe for cholera," said regional director Samlee Plianbangchang, reiterating warnings about damaged water supplies and sanitation in affected areas.
The UN's health agency has particularly been concerned about the Indonesian province of Aceh.
Chaib on Friday emphasised that half the health infrastructure in Aceh had been destroyed or damaged. The eight hospitals there were damaged.
"Lots of health staff have not come forward, we do not know if they are dead or missing," Chaib said.
The main hospital in Aceh province reopened its emergency ward Thursday amid hopes that other wards could be reopened with the help of the Red Cross soon.
The WHO has set up mobile health laboratories to compensate for the loss of blood banks or diagnostic equipment, and to help detect and stifle outbreaks of serious disease.
01/07/2005 13:27 GMT - AFP