GENEVA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Angola, which already has one of thehighest under-five mortality rates in the world, is facing a new threat of cholera, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.

    The Angola government has reported a total of 32,324 cholera cases and 1,189 deaths around the southwestern African country from Feb. 13 to May 10, while some 500 new cases are still reported daily.

    Some estimate that the number of cases could climb to over 70,000 by September if action to contain the outbreak is not sustained, UNICEF said.

    According to preliminary estimates by the organization, approximately 35 percent of the cholera victims are children underthe age of five.

    "Children are particularly vulnerable to dehydration from diarrhea caused by cholera, and the current crisis threatens to exacerbate their already fragile health situation," said Akhil Iyer, head of UNICEF in Angola.

    Statistics show that diarrheal diseases are one of the main causes of child mortality in Angola, accounting for 18 percent of child mortality every year, after malaria which accounts for 23 percent.

    The outbreak and quick spread of the cholera epidemic was largely due to poor sanitation and a shortage of safe drinking water in the country, a legacy of almost 30 years of war.

    According to UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO), only 50 percent of Angolans have access to safe water.

    The Angolan government recently announced an allocation of 5 million U.S. dollars and several donors have contributed over 1 million U.S. dollars to UNICEF to help contain the outbreak.

    The funds will be used mainly for supplies urgently needed for water purification and the treatment and prevention of cholera.

    Besides UNICEF and WHO, non-governmental organizations such as Medecins sans Frontieres have joined the relief efforts in Angola.Enditem