Two people have died of cholera in northwestern Syria after devastating earthquakes hit the region, emergency responders in the opposition-held area say.

The total number of cholera deaths recorded in the northwest since the outbreak began last year has now risen to 22 with another 568 non-fatal cases reported, the Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, said in a tweet on Tuesday.

“The destruction of infrastructure, water and sewage lines after the earthquake increases the possibility of an outbreak of the disease,” the volunteer group posted.

The earthquakes have worsened conditions in refugee camps in the area, which already lacked sanitation and access to clean water.