Bali denies report cholera

Bali denies report cholera

JAKARTA (JP): Bali restaurateurs denounced the Japanese
newspapers for suggesting an outbreak of cholera on the holiday
island without bothering to check the facts.

Soewito Raharjo of the Bali chapter of Association of Hotel
and Restaurants said the Japanese press based their reports on
claims by 19 Japanese tourists who recently returned from Bali
complaining of stomach problems.

"It could've been an indigestion problem. How do they know for
sure that it was cholera? Did they find they even had the virus?"
Soewito told the Antara news agency on Saturday.

He said a number of Japanese package tours to Bali have been
canceled following the reports.

He also deplored at the government's inaction in the face of
such damaging press reports.

Soewito said Bali also happened to be the last stop for the 19
Japanese tourists and so if they had indeed contracted cholera,
they could have picked it up on other stops.

If there was an outbreak of cholera in Bali, then how come no
other tourists or local people are infected? he asked.

Soewito said the reports should not severely affect the inflow
of tourists to Bali because Japanese are not the only foreign
tourists who visit the island.

Besides, the validity of the report is doubtful and that any
impact on the number of Japanese tourists visiting is likely to
be brief. (29)