Cholera spreads from Haiti to the Dominican Republic

According to CNN, the cholera outbreak in Haiti has spread across the border to the Dominican Republic, which has confirmed it’s first case of the illness, its health ministry said.

The health ministry also said the nation has issued a maximum health alert.

The sickened man, Wilmo Louwes, went back to Haiti Oct. 31 to take money home, according to the El Nacional newspaper.

When Louwes came back Friday, he had symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea and was hospitalized in Higuey. He was in stable condition and will probably be released from the hospital Wednesday, the newspaper quoted Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez as saying.

The cholera outbreak confirmed last month in northwest Haiti has killed 1,110 people, and 18,383 people have been hospitalized with the disease, according to Haiti's health ministry.

CNN reports that as cases of cholera spread throughout Haiti, violent protests erupted in the northern part of the country as angry demonstrators accused United Nations peacekeepers of starting the outbreak.

They have burned tires and cars, sending thick black smoke across Cap Haitien, where the government appeared to have lost control, the report says.

 However, the United Nations has denied the allegations that Nepalese peacekeepers were responsible for starting the cholera outbreak. U.N. statements said the protests may be politically motivated to create insecurity ahead of November 28 elections, according to CNN.