A cholera outbreak on south China's holiday resort island of Hainan has ended, making it once again safe for tourists, a senior health official said on Friday.

No new cases of the infectious disease, which had a short incubation period, had been reported for five days, said provincial health department director Bai Zhiqin.

Seven confirmed cholera patients were still receiving treatment in hospital and another three suspected cases had been isolated, but all the cases had been reported more than five days ago, said Bai.

Hainan University, which had been badly affected in the outbreak had reported no new cases over the past five days, while Danzhou Village, where the outbreak started, has reported no cases for seven days, said Bai.

The number of cholera cases stood at 51 on Sunday and no deaths had been reported.

Experts said floods in early October and the ensuing warm weather made ideal conditions for outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and diarrhea.

At its most acute, cholera can cause diarrhoea that can lead to death by severe dehydration and kidney failure.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2008)