November 1, 2022 00:04
The World Health Organization warned Monday of a rapid spread of a deadly cholera epidemic in Lebanon, while neighboring Syria is also battling an outbreak of the disease.
For the first time in decades, the first case of cholera was recorded in Lebanon earlier this month.
The organization said in a statement, that it “warns of a deadly cholera outbreak in Lebanon, with increasing cases of infection.”
The representative of the World Health Organization in Lebanon, Abdel Nasser Abu Bakr, indicated that “the situation in Lebanon is fragile, as the country is struggling to face other crises, and these crises are multiplied by the economic deterioration that has been going on for a long time.”
Since October 5, more than 1,400 suspected cases have been recorded across the country, including 381 confirmed cases and 17 deaths, according to the organization.
According to the organization’s statement, “the outbreak was initially confined to the northern districts, but it quickly spread,” and confirmed cases were recorded in all governorates.
This situation prompted the World Health Organization to help Lebanon obtain 600,000 doses of cholera vaccine.
The World Health Organization confirmed that it is making additional efforts to provide more doses “due to the rapid spread” of the epidemic.
And neighboring Syria, since September, has witnessed an outbreak of cholera in several governorates, for the first time since 2009.
Source: agencies
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