Colombia's widespread illegal mining is blamed for causing environmental damage and holding workers in slave-like conditions — and now is also being blamed for a malaria outbreak. Critics point to stagnant water buildups at the clandestine sites and poor sanitary conditions at the workers' camps for an increase in mosquitos spreading the disease, which has quadrupled in jungle regions of the hard-hit and impoverished western department of Choco. “The country had more or less controlled its malaria problem… the death rate had dropped significantly,” Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria said this week.
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Colombia’s illegal mining linked to malaria outbreak
