Cholera
© PressTV
Mexico's health minister has warned of a cholera outbreak across four central states and the capital, claiming the life of one person and infecting many others.

The east-central state of Hidalgo has the highest count of confirmed cases with 145 people being infected, including the death of a 75-year-old woman, said Health Minister Mercedes Juan on Monday.

Other states affected with cholera include Mexico with nine, Veracruz with two, San Luis Potosi with one, and a couple others in Mexico City, the official added.

Juan said that another 3,075 "probable cases" have been detected throughout the country.

The ministry has launched a nationwide public health campaign aimed at preventing further infections.

Eight in every 10 cases have already been successfully treated, with those infected in the past several weeks ranging in age from three to 86.

The origin of the outbreak has been traced back to a source of fresh water in the Rio Tecoluco in Hidalgo, said David Korenfeld, the head of Mexico's national water commission.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by contaminated food or water, known to occur in places with poor sanitation. The nauseous diarrheal disease is especially fatal for children.

The outbreak marks the first local transmission of the infection since the country's last cholera epidemic in 2001, according to the Pan American Health Organization.