Cholera outbreak in Syria’s camps high, concerning – ECHO
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) voiced concern on Tuesday over cholera outbreak in various parts of Syria, including the crowded Internally Displaced People (IDPs) camps of northwest and northeast Syria.
In a press release, the ECHO said that the risk of further outbreak of cholera in the crowded IDP camps in northwest and northeast Syria is particularly high and concerning.
More than 1.000 cholera cases were reported in several areas in Syria, causing large effect to parts of the country, the ECHO added.
The IDPs living in al-Younani camp, situated on the bank of Euphrates River, fear the contagion of cholera for their reliance on the river’s water for all their daily life activities without cleaning or desalinating it.
On September 15, the Environmental Affairs Bureau of the Raqqa Civil Council warned locals against the direct use of the Euphrates water, saying it is “contaminated with germs and bacteria.”
The partners of Directorate-General for the ECHO immediately sent “WASH supplies water treatment such as chlorination, and health kits to the affected governorates,” according to the statement.
On September 19, World Health Organization (WHO) sent a plane carrying 30 tons of medical supplies, including cholera kits, oral rehydration solutions, and rapid diagnostic tests to Damascus to contain the cholera outbreak in Syria.
On September 17, media office of the Syrian Ministry of Health recorded 201 confirmed cases of cholera.
The ministry’s media office statement said that the number of confirmed cholera cases has reached 201: 153 in Aleppo, 21 in Hasakah, 14 in Deir ez-Zor, 10 in Latakia, two in Damascus, and one in Homs.
The Syrian Ministry of Health said that there are 14 cholera-caused deaths 11 of them in Aleppo, two in Deir ez-Zor, and one in Hasakah.
On September 10, the Syrian Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of cholera in Aleppo Governorate following 15 confirmed laboratory cases.
Euphrates water contamination is the main reason for cholera, according to the official statements.