Cholera confirmed in Havana, Cuba

Cuban health officials verified Tuesday a small cholera outbreak in Havana, the capital city of Cuba, the largest occurrence of the disease on the island nation in decades.

In August authorities confirmed the potentially deadly disease was gone, but a new statement by the Cuban Health Ministry today said 51 cases had been confirmed. "Fifty-one cases have been confirmed to date," the statement read.

It's unclear if anyone has died, according to CNN. However, the BBC reported a 46-year-old man died early January of what they suspect to be cholera.

Doctors are going door to door in and around Havana, a city of 2.2 million residents, looking for symptoms, the BBC reported.

Speaking to with a ministry official and doctor, Reuters reported the disease was contracted at a baseball game at the Latin American Stadium in Cerro.

"We know what happened. Either the pork sandwiches or Tan Rico soda pop was contaminated at a game earlier this month," the official told Reuters.

The World Health Organization states "an estimated 3–5 million cholera cases and 100 000–120 000 deaths due to cholera every year."

The good news is that "up to 80% of cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration salts."

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