Published Date: 2007-05-04 13:00:02
Subject: PRO/EDR> Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (19)
Archive Number: 20070504.1448
CHOLERA, DIARRHEA & DYSENTERY UPDATE 2007 (19)
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In this update:
Africa
[1] Cholera - Somalia
[2] Cholera - Namibia
[3] Cholera - worldwide: WHO WER notifications
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[1] Cholera - Somalia
Date: Mon 30 Apr 2007
Source: AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) [edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200705010257.html>
An outbreak of cholera and acute watery diarrhea is adding to the
dire humanitarian conditions endured by the homeless in camps around
the Somali capital, Mogadishu, medical sources said on Mon 30 Apr
2007. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced by 3
months of heavy fighting in the city.
"We have had 1111 cases of cholera in our camp alone," said Hawa
Abdi, a doctor, whose 26-hectare (64-acre) compound, 20 km. (12.5
miles) south of Mogadishu, has been turned into a camp for displaced
people. She said most of the patients were being cared for under
trees. The mortality rate was still low, with only 15 deaths since
the outbreak began in March 2007, she said.
However, the displaced were getting weaker, she added, and diseases
were likely to spread due to overcrowding and lack of proper
sanitation facilities, and claim more lives. "If conditions do not
improve soon, it [the mortality rate] will most certainly go much
higher," said Abdi.
She said she was receiving reports on deteriorating health conditions
from other camps where the displaced from Mogadishu have assembled.
"I suspect the problem is related to the water people are drinking
and the total lack of sanitation in the camps," she added.
In a report last week [27 Apr 2007, see
<http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline2.un.org/somalia>
- CopyEd.MJ], the United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the number of cholera/acute watery
diarrhea cases in southern and central Somalia since 1 Jan 2007 was
estimated at more than 17 000, with 600 deaths. The report said the
cases were primarily concentrated in Mogadishu and the Lower Shabelle
region, where most of the displaced went. "With continuing
displacement and the onset of the Gu [long] rains, the number of
cases is expected to continue to rise," OCHA warned.
Abdi said her facility, which was receiving about 30 patients per
day, was running out of such basic supplies as oral rehydration
salts. "We are getting more and more people by the day and the
supplies we have are not going to last very long."
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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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[Cases of cholera in Somalia are often referred to as "acute watery
diarrhea". A map of the country showing the provinces as well as
Mogadishu can be found at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/somalia.pdf>. - Mod.LL]
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[2] Cholera - Namibia
Date: Wed 2 May 2007
Source: AllAfrica, New Era (Windhoek) report [edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200705020227.html>
There has been an increase in the number of people dying from cholera
and diarrhea in Ohangwena Region over the past 2 weeks.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social
Services, Simwanza Simenda, confirmed to New Era [that as of 1 May
2007, 9 people had] died from cholera with another 26 cases under treatment.
Since February 2007 when the disease was detected in Namibia, there
were no new cases reported until last month [April 2007,] when 33
diarrhea cases and 2 cholera cases were noted. Health authorities
suspect that the disease spread through hand-washing rites at
funerals where all mourners are required to wash their hands after
the burial in a single dish containing herbs. In one incidence, 23
mourners contracted diarrhea and were admitted to Engela hospital.
[Byline: Petronella Sibeene]
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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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[The Ohangwena region of Namibia, which borders the Cunene Province
of Angola, can be found on a map at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohangwena_Region>. - Mod.LL]
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[3] Cholera - worldwide: WHO WER notifications
Date: Fri 4 May 2007
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Epidemiological Record
(WER) [edited]
<http://www.who.int/wer/2007/wer8218/en/index.html>
Notifications of cholera received from 27 Apr to 3 May 2007
-----------------------------------------------------------
Country / Dates / Cases / Deaths
Africa
Angola / 14 Mar-26 Apr 2007 / 4162 / 63
Tanzania / 19 Feb-15 Apr 2007 / 574 / 28
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Marianne Hopp
See Also
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (18) 20070427.1371Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (17) 20070420.1292
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (16) 20070413.1232
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (15) 20070406.1157
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (14) 20070330.1093
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (13) 20070323.1019
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (12) 20070316.0933
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (11) 20070309.0833
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (10) 20070302.0737
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (09) 20070223.0667
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (08) 20070217.0607
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (07) 20070209.0503
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (06) 20070205.0457
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (05) 20070202.0418
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (04) 20070126.0350
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (03) 20070119.0251
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (02) 20070112.0147
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (01) 20070105.0047
2006
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Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (52) 20061229.3646
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (51) 20061222.3585
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (50) 20061215.3528
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (40) 20061006.2862
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (30) 20060724.2037
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (20) 20060512.1352
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (10) 20060303.0675
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (01) 20060106.0040
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