Published : 07-10-2022
In Syria, more than 10,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported just in the past six weeks, warned the World Health Organization (WHO).
In a press briefing, WHO’s Secretary-General Margaret Harris said that “after years of declining cases globally, we have seen a worrying upsurge of cholera outbreaks around the globe over the past year.”
“In the first nine months of this year alone, 27 countries have reported cholera outbreaks. Not only are we seeing more outbreaks but more deadly outbreaks”, said Harris.
“The data we have, which are limited, show the average case fatality rate so far this year is almost three times the rate of the past five years”, he warned. “In Syria, more than 10,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported just in the past six weeks.”
“Although cholera can kill within hours, it can be prevented with vaccines and access to safe water and sanitation, and can be treated easily with oral rehydration or antibiotics for more severe cases but the reality is that many people don’t have access to these simple interventions”, warned Harris.
The U.N. and Syria’s Health Ministry have said the source of the outbreak is believed to be linked to people drinking unsafe water from the Euphrates River and using contaminated water to irrigate crops, resulting in food contamination.
The cases were reported in several provinces, including Aleppo in the north, Latakia on the Mediterranean coast and Deir el-Zour along the border with Iraq.
The outbreak comes at a time when Syria’s medical sector has been badly damaged over the past 11 years in a conflict that killed hundreds of thousands of people, wounded over 1 million more and displaced half the country’s prewar population.
In Syria, more than 10,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported just in the past six weeks, warned the World Health Organization (WHO).
In a press briefing, WHO’s Secretary-General Margaret Harris said that “after years of declining cases globally, we have seen a worrying upsurge of cholera outbreaks around the globe over the past year.”
“In the first nine months of this year alone, 27 countries have reported cholera outbreaks. Not only are we seeing more outbreaks but more deadly outbreaks”, said Harris.
“The data we have, which are limited, show the average case fatality rate so far this year is almost three times the rate of the past five years”, he warned. “In Syria, more than 10,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported just in the past six weeks.”
“Although cholera can kill within hours, it can be prevented with vaccines and access to safe water and sanitation, and can be treated easily with oral rehydration or antibiotics for more severe cases but the reality is that many people don’t have access to these simple interventions”, warned Harris.
The U.N. and Syria’s Health Ministry have said the source of the outbreak is believed to be linked to people drinking unsafe water from the Euphrates River and using contaminated water to irrigate crops, resulting in food contamination.
The cases were reported in several provinces, including Aleppo in the north, Latakia on the Mediterranean coast and Deir el-Zour along the border with Iraq.
The outbreak comes at a time when Syria’s medical sector has been badly damaged over the past 11 years in a conflict that killed hundreds of thousands of people, wounded over 1 million more and displaced half the country’s prewar population.
