Published Date: 2007-10-06 16:00:09
Subject: PRO/EDR> Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (44)
Archive Number: 20071006.3300
CHOLERA, DIARRHEA & DYSENTERY UPDATE 2007 (44)
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In this update:
Asia
[1] Cholera - Iran
[2] Diarrhea, fatal - Nepal (Central region)
Africa
[3] Cholera - Senegal
[4] Cholera - Sierra Leone
*****
[1] Cholera - Iran
Date: Sat 6 Oct 2007
Source: Reuters [edited]
<http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSBLA649266>
Iran said on Sat 6 Oct 2007 it had 43 cholera cases, 4 times more
than previously announced, and added they were mostly near Iraq where
there has been an outbreak of the disease, an Iranian news agency reported.
A World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Thu 4 Oct 2007
that 10 cases had been confirmed in Iran. WHO has urged neighbors of
Iraq, where cholera has struck more than 3300 people since mid-August
2007, to strengthen their defenses against the disease.
Iran shares a long border with Iraq. Many Iraqi refugees have fled to
Iran to escape violence at home, while Iranian Shi'ite Muslim
pilgrims often cross into Iraq to visit holy sites there.
"The total number of confirmed cholera cases has reached 43, most of
them identified in (Iran's western) Kurdistan province among those
who used to frequently cross the Iraqi border," Health Ministry
official Mohsen Zahraie was quoted as saying. The report, carried by
Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency, did not give further details
about those suffering.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The initial report of cholera in Iran stated that the cluster had
began on 19 Sep 2007 although the timeline of when the initial 9 or
10 cases occurred was not clear. It is less clear now that 43 cases
are reported. With more cases, does this reflect more cases in Iraqi
refugees coming across the border, secondary spread in Iraq, or a
combination? Additionally, with "most of them identified in (Iran's
western) Kurdistan province among those who used to frequently cross
the Iraqi border," how many of the cases occurred in elsewhere in Iran?
A map of Iran can be found at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/iran.pdf>. The
location of the Iranian cases in Kordestan (sometimes spelled
Kurdistan) is in the northwestern part of the country, which borders
on the most affected areas of Iraq. - Mod.LL]
*****
[2] Diarrhea, fatal - Nepal (Central region)
Date: Fri 5 Oct 2007
Source: eKantipur [edited]
<http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=124618>
At total of 11 persons, including 7 in Rautahat district and 2 each
in Hetauda and Parsa district died in a diarrhea epidemic in the
villages within the past week [1-5 Oct 2007].
According to our Rautahat correspondent, 7 persons died while nearly
500 other locals of 16 villages in the district have been affected by
the diarrhea outbreak. Doctors at Gaur Hospital said that lately more
than 20 diarrhea cases a day have come to the hospital. Locals of
Gaur Municipality and 16 VDCs including Chandiya, Basantapur,
Jhunkhunuwa and Dumariya are suffering from the outbreak.
Doctors said that they are accommodating the incoming patients in the
hospital corridors as patients have outnumbered the hospital beds.
According to Dr Ram Shankar Thakur, the disease has taken its toll in
the rural settlements largely because of the consumption of fish
caught in local streams. Meanwhile, most of the affected villages
have a dearth of medicinal supplies.
Meanwhile in Hetauda, 2 persons from Bharta VDC-6, died of diarrhea
on Wed 3 Oct 2007. Tek Bahadur Chepang, a local, said diarrhea has
spread across most of the settlements in the VDC. "Many of the
villagers have become seriously affected," Chepang said.
In Parsa, diarrhea spread across 2 villages in the district killing 2
persons including a newborn baby, on Wed 3 Oct 2007. Similarly, the
epidemic has affected over 50 locals in Lamariya area of Basantpur
VDC-5 in the same district.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Although not mentioned by name, cholera has been occurring around
this mountainous Asian country. All of the areas discussed here are
in different districts of the Central Region of Nepal and all are
south of the location of Katmandu in this region. A map of Nepal can
be found at:
<http://ncthakur.itgo.com/map04.htm>. - Mod.LL]
*****
[3] Cholera - Senegal
Date: Thu 4 Oct 2007
Source: XinhuaNet [edited]
<http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/EMAE-77NQ2Z?OpenDocument>
Senegalese national Health Director Professor Oumar Faye Thursday [4
Oct 2007] said 1060 new cholera cases had been reported across
several regions in the country, local press reported.
"Within the last 5 days, we've witnessed a slight increase in the
number of reported cases," according to the director, who said "the
upsurge in new cases could be attributed to the fact that the country
was experiencing a dry season and unhygienic practices."
"There are 6 regions which have been affected, including Saint-Louis,
Touba, Louga, Thies, Dakar, and Diourbel," Faye said, describing the
situation as "alarming."
According to the "Le Quotidien" daily, the worst-hit areas are Touba
with 222 cases, Mbacke with 79, Bambey with 20, Louga with 48 and
Saint-Louis with over 30.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[A map of the western Africa country of Senegal can be found at:
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/senegal.pdf>. The
areas involved are primarily in the western parts of the country. - Mod.LL]
See Also
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (43) 20071004.3286Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (42) 20071002.3254
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (41) 20070925.3175
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (40) 20070924.3164
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (30) 20070830.2856
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (20) 20070511.1509
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (10) 20070302.0737
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2007 (01) 20070105.0047
2006
----
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2006 (52) 20061229.3646
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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