Cholera outbreak hits Syrian refugees sheltering in camps in Lebanon

Syrian refugee children stand near water way at an informal camp in Qab Elias, in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley October 18, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Syrian refugees in displacement camps are falling victim to a cholera outbreak in Lebanon, already suffering from an economic meltdown that has slashed access to clean water and strained hospitals.

Lebanon recorded its first cholera case in early October -- signalling the return of the bacteria for the first time in 30 years. It now counts at least 220 cases and five deaths.