KABUL, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities have detected the outbreak of Hepatitis E in Afghanistan's eastern Laghman province, spokesman of UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Monday.

    An outbreak of 33 cases of viral hepatitis E has been identified in Farashghan village of Dawlatshah district of Laghman province, Adrian Edwards told newsmen at a weekly press briefing.

    Seventeen cases of the epidemic were detected in December and 16 others were identified in January respectively, he added.

    Hepatitis E is an acute illness of fever and jaundice caused by contaminated water, the spokesman added.

    Only 40 percent of Afghans have access to safe drinking water.

    The UN Children's Fund has donated materials to conduct a health education campaign to inform the villagers how to prevent the disease though home treatment of water and sanitation measures.