Colombia's illegal mining linked to malaria outbreak

BOGOTA: 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 mosquitoes spreading the disease, which has quadrupled in jungle regions of the hard-hit and impoverished western department of Choco.