WHO warns of the spread of cholera throughout Lebanon

GENEVA (SWITZERLAND), Nov. 1 (DPA/EP) –

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned this Tuesday that cholera is spreading throughout all regions of Lebanon, already raising the number of suspected cases to more than 1,400.

At the moment, the health authorities have officially confirmed 381 infections and 17 deaths due to a disease of which cases are registered again after almost three decades.

As indicated by the WHO’s regional director of emergencies, Rick Bernnan, the bacterium has probably reached Lebanon from Syria, where today it is estimated that there could be more than 20,000 suspected cases.

The number of cholera outbreaks has increased considerably globally throughout this year, mainly due to the increase in floods, droughts, conflicts, migrations and other factors that influence access to clean water, according to the WHO.

WHO is supporting Lebanon with medical personnel, equipment and laboratory resources, as well as providing help in clinics and hospitals. The organization is also working with the country’s government to obtain 600,000 doses of a vaccine that is in increasingly short supply.

Furthermore, in Lebanon the situation is aggravated by the other crises plaguing the country, including economic recession and political instability. The lack of access to drinking water, wastewater treatment and poor conditions in health centers also do not help to deal with the cholera outbreak optimally.