THREE more cases of cholera were reported on Monday by the Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh, and health officials continued to urge the public to wait for more data before speculating about the prospect of an epidemic.

Muy Sovann, director of administration at the Pasteur Institute, said the institute had been receiving between three and five positive samples of cholera from medical facilities in Phnom Penh every day for the past two weeks.

“We don’t know the number of patients who have died from this disease, because we only receive samples from the hospitals and private clinics, not detailed information about patients,” he said.

Ly Sovann, deputy director of the Health Ministry’s Communicable Diseases Control Department, said most Cambodians did not understand the technicalities of epidemics and should refrain from speculation.

“At this time we need to educate the people to understand how to treat their health problems and believe scientists,” he said.