Published Date: 2012-07-03 15:37:35
Subject: PRO/EDR> Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (24): Cuba (GR)
Archive Number: 20120703.1188755

CHOLERA, DIARRHEA AND DYSENTERY UPDATE 2012 (24): CUBA (GRANMA)
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Date: Tue 3 Jul 2012
Source: Fox News Latino, Agencia EFE report [edited]
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2012/07/03/cuba-confirms-3-deaths-from-cholera/


The Cuban government said on Tue 3 Jul 2012 that 53 people contracted cholera in Manzanillo, a city in the eastern province of Granma, and 3 died from the bacterial disease.

"A variety of germs have been identified among all the patients seen to, with 53 cases diagnosed with _Vibrio cholerae_, of whom the 3 fatalities were elderly adults ages 95, 70, and 66, all with records of chronic illnesses," the Public Health Ministry said in a statement published in the official daily Granma. In the case of the 3 people who died, "the standard investigations are being carried out to determine the exact cause of death for each."

Ailments with severe diarrhea have been increasingly detected on the island in recent weeks as a result of the high temperatures and heavy rains, the ministry said.

The province most affected by these illnesses was Granma and specifically the city of Manzanillo, which saw "an outbreak of gastrointestinal infection due to bacteria in the water from several polluted wells used for the local supply of drinking water," the ministry said.

Doctors in that city saw 1000 patients and performed checkups on more than 98 per cent of the population.

To control the situation, health officials adopted measures like taking samples from private and state wells in order to close down those that were contaminated. They also distributed chlorinated water, cut off water outlets, and provided a health education program for the inhabitants.

"Several months ago, Public Health Ministry officials said that cholera was one of the 15 diseases eradicated in Cuba, together with others such as polio, malaria, and diphtheria, according to the daily Granma.

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[This is an official confirmation of the outbreak of cholera in Cuba reported yesterday with an additional death reported among 53 cases. ProMED-mail awaits more information regarding the microbiology of the particular isolate. - Mod.LL

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/2Gla.]

See Also

Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (23): Cuba (GR) RFI 20120702.1187070
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Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012 (02): Haiti (GA) 20120112.1008336
Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update 2012: Haiti, DR 20120111.1007086
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