Vietnam reported nearly 2,500 cases of severe acute watery diarrhea between March 5 and April 22, including 377 cases positive for Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera. The serotype has been identified as 01 Ogawa. There have been no reported deaths, which the World Health Organization says indicates good case management. The outbreak has affected 20 Vietnamese provinces and municipalities, particularly Hanoi. The predominant route of infection appears to be contaminated food; bacteria have not been found in drinking water but have been found in some surface water. Additional investigations are underway, as is a public health education campaign. Neither WHO nor the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends restrictions on travel. A WHO fact sheet on cholera is available at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/index.html. Information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/faq/en/index.html.

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