The United Nations Children Fund has warned of a likely increase in the number of typhoid and cholera cases in the coming days in areas affected by Hurricane Tomas.

UNICEF Pacific Office Emergency Coordinator Hamish Weatherly said with a typhoid outbreak already in existence prior to Cyclone Tomas, the risk of rapid spread has been significantly increased evacuation  centers  were  crowded and unsanitary.

Weatherly said UNICEF Pacific Office is responding to the emergency with specific attention to water, sanitation and hygiene given that cases of typhoid and cholera are likely to rise in the coming days.

This followed fresh reports from the Ministry of Health that 3 cases of patients with diarrhea containing blood has been confirmed in the village of Tavewa on the Cyclone affected island of Vanua Levu.

More emergency supplies were sent to affected areas in the Northern and Eastern Division yesterday on a government ship.

These include 15 Emergency Health Kits, 10 tents for temporary school shelters, 10 Enhanced Educational Kits,which are a combination of educational and recreational materials such as books, pens, flipcharts, soccer balls, volley balls, etc, 1,300 water containers, 4,000 bars of antibacterial soap, water purifying tablets, communication material explaining how to purify water and "Emergency Hands" - communication materials promoting key sanitation and hygiene behaviours.

Each Emergency Health Kit can be used for 1,000 people and contains medical supplies such as dressing trays, forceps and antibiotics, as well as oral rehydration salts.

Weatherly said at present, UNICEF"s priority is to provide life saving essentials to children and their mothers as clean water and safe hygiene systems are the most critical need, and must be put into place as soon as possible.