Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said in Havana Wednesday that Haiti's cholera epidemic could spread further across its border and called on the international community to work together to fight the disease.

"If the controls to defeat the epidemic fail, this could become endemic and could lead to a health disaster in Haiti, and a permanent threat to the Caribbean and Latin America," Castro said in his "Reflections" published Wednesday by the local press.

The number of people infected with the disease has risen to 75,888 on Nov. 29, including more than 1,600 dead.

Castro said that the Haitian opposition realized it was wrong to call for the people to the streets to protest against the election results because if violence spreads throughout Haiti, the epidemic would be impossible to control.

Castro also highlighted the work of the Cuban medical brigade in Haiti, and predicted that "with their work and the scheduled reinforcement, the cholera death toll will decrease."

"Never forget that Haiti must also be rebuilt from the ground up, with help and cooperation from the whole world. It is the least that can be done for these noble people," Castro said.

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