Cholera-related deaths on Australia's border

Dozens of people are now believed to have died from cholera in Papua New Guinea's Western Province, on the border with Australia's Torres Strait.

Last week border movement was severely restricted to stop cholera entering Australia, after 15 deaths were reported on the PNG island of Daru.

But Western Province governor Dr Bob Danaya says cholera is now spreading along the coast and inland.

He says there have been 45 reported new deaths, including two in villages just kilometres from Torres Strait islands.

“What has happened so far is the epidemic on the island is now contained,” Dr Bob Danaya says.

“But the epidemic has spread out to nearby villages because the villagers came back three weeks ago to collect compensation for river damage from the mines.”

”When they came back I believe they brought the cholera strain with them,” he said.

Health officials have been dispatched to the village to monitor the epidemic.

There are reports of cases moving further inland as people move inland they take it with them.

PNG's army and law enforcement officials are being deployed to contain so they can restrict the movement of people from PNG side to Australian side.

“Movement of people is very difficult to contain people [but] we can do what we can."

Queensland Health says so far no cases have been reported in the Torres Strait and there is a low chance of it crossing the border.

“A team on the ground is raising awareness to ensure that the message is conveyed,” Dr Danaya said.