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Millions at risk of exposure to cholera in
Iraqi Kurdistan, UN health agency warns
11.9.2007
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September 11, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region (Iraq), --
More than 7,000 cases of acute diarrhoea have so far
been reported in the cholera epidemic in northern
Iraq, putting over 2.8 million people at risk from
exposure to the infectious and sometimes fatal
disease, according to the United Nations health
agency.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) is taking
emergency measures to help the Kurdistan authorities
in Sulaimaniyah, Kirkuk and Erbil provinces contain
the epidemic. Ten people are so far reported to have
died.
“We still need different materials to control this
pandemic such as drugs and medical supplies,
diagnostic and enteric disease bacteriology kits,
water testing kits, awareness and communications
tools and equipment,” WHO Technical officer Omer
Mekki said. “We are doing our best effort to lead
the UN emergency aid in north Iraq.”
All evidence suggests that transmission is still
circulating. It is unclear what caused the outbreak,
but initial investigation show some evidence that,
in Sulaimaniyah, polluted water that residents were
forced to rely on due to a shortage of drinking
water may have been to blame. In Kirkuk, cracked
water pipes allowed contamination by sewage, and
because of the close geographic proximity the
outbreak spread to Erbil, Dr. Mekki said.
WHO is providing technical assistance to the health
authorities for risk assessment, strengthening
surveillance system and improving coordination
through a multi-sectoral operations room in health,
water and environment in the provincial ministry of
health.
The agency has also helped in standardizing case
management, mobilizing medical and other essential
supplies as well as in organizing social
mobilization and health education campaigns where
more than 10,000 posters distributed.
The continuous movement of people and cargo, bad
sanitary conditions and high temperatures may
increase the possibility of spreading the disease
rapidly to other areas such as Baghdad and the
central provinces, Dr. Al- Gasseer warned.
The WHO-Iraq office has ordered 10 emergency
diarrhoea disease kits to pre-position adequate
quantities of essential drugs as well as other
medical and laboratory supplies in all hospitals and
health centres. In addition, two truck loads of
intravenous fluids and antibiotics are to be sent
Erbil.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by
ingestion of food or water contaminated with the
bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
It causes watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to
severe dehydration and death if treatment is not
promptly given. About 80 to 90 per cent of cases are
mild or moderate and are difficult to distinguish
clinically from other types of acute diarrhoea.
Less than 20 per cent of ill people develop typical
cholera with signs of moderate or severe
dehydration.
un org
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