( CNN ) -- Nearly 800 people have died in a recent malaria outbreak in northern Cameroon , one described by public health officials as `` a severe and sudden epidemic . '' Doctors treating more than 12,000 victims of the disease say those who died in the past three weeks were mostly young children and pregnant women . Heavy rains have flooded the region around Maroua , giving mosquitoes ideal breeding conditions . `` This is a severe and sudden epidemic . I see no end in sight , '' Dr. Amos Ekane , a malaria specialist treating more than 2,000 victims in Maroua , told CNN . Wednesday , a panel of Cameroonian journalists on state radio criticized the government for not spreading the news about the outbreak and not requesting international aid . According to the Public Health Ministry , more than 12,000 people are seriously ill and have been admitted to hospitals . But there are fewer than 10 treatment centers are available to help those who 've contracted the mosquito-borne illness , and thousands of children and women are forced to sleep in the open or in overcrowded rooms without mosquito nets . `` Three of my children have died here . Here is my wife lying helplessly with drips tied to this tree , '' Abubakar Ardo Miro told CNN , pointing out the conditions at the overcrowded Maroua regional hospital . `` Only a few qualified physicians are available in the regional government hospital to handle malaria cases . This can not yield a favorable result , '' Ekane warned . The Cameroon Medical Council -- a body governing the medical core in the West African nation -- estimates a ratio of one doctor to every 40,000 patients . Less than 1,000 physicians currently work in the country , the council says , and toil under poor conditions and low wages . `` This is really a mess to the Cameroon government , '' Tataw Eric Tano , a newspaper publisher in Cameroo , told CNN by phone . The government footed the bill to transport thousands of voters to parliamentary and municipal elections earlier this month , he said , but is not transporting dying patients to other areas with less-crowded hospitals . Observers have criticized President Paul Biya of ignoring the mounting malaria death toll as he focuses on lavish preparations to celebrate his 31 years in the presidency November 6 . `` Even the propaganda state radio CRTV is talking against this , '' said political analyst Prince Tanda . Health experts blame the upsurge of malaria cases on the poor use of malaria nets that were distributed free of charge among nearly 9 million Cameroonians in 2010 . But a dwindling economy and the scarcity of food has forced some families to use the nets for other purposes . `` There is no reason for me to sleep under this net while my children need food to eat , '' Elias Mbengono , a local fisherman , told CNN as he demonstrated how he could use the nets to catch fish for his family . Climate change researcher Kevin Enongene said recent heavy rains and flooding in Northern Cameroon have transformed villages into mosquito breeding grounds . Lake Chad continues to spill water over its banks and no levee has been created to stop the flood , Enongene said . `` This should be taken seriously , '' he added . Public health experts are now targeting the heads of families in a daily campaign to stave off the malaria epidemic in Maroua . `` Sleep under the mosquito bed net . Do not use them as fishing nets , '' one campaign banner read . But state public health officials are raising fears that the death toll could reach the thousands in the next few weeks if international support is not received soon . More than 660,000 people around the world died from malaria in 2010 , according to the World Health Organization .
Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from malaria , WHO says . Comment: Mosquitoes spread the disease . Critics say Cameroon 's president is n't doing enough to stop the outbreak .