THE death toll from a cholera outbreak in Malawi has risen to 175 since the onset of the rainy season in November, a health official said Friday. “As of February 20, some 175 deaths were recorded,” said chief health education officer Jonathan Nkhoma. He said about 9 340 cases had been recorded across the country since the start of the rainy season last November. Nkhoma said the statistics were based on only 16 of the country’s 27 districts. The southern region’s Mangochi district, a tourist area, has been hardest hit with 35 deaths out of 1 547 cases. – AFP