A total of 222 people have died of cholera and more than 11,000 others were affected since the disease epidemic erupted in Guinea-Bissau in June, according to reports reaching Luanda from Bissau on Thursday.

Guinea-Bissau's Health Ministry officials were quoted as saying that the capital city Bissau remains the hardest-hit area, counting for 6,054 of the total 11,129 cases reported by Tuesday and 54 of the deaths.

The officials said there was a "slowdown" in the number of new cases being reported but that the number of victims continued to rise daily.

However, the officials were worried about the problem that some 20 cholera patients, mostly youths, "fled" hospitals daily before complete recovery.

China, France, Portugal and neighboring Senegal and Guinea- Conakry have offered the aid in combating the epidemic disease.

Source: Xinhua