Cholera kills two people in Syria’s northwest – Civil Defense

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Two people died of cholera in the Syrian opposition-held northwest Syria following the devastating earthquake that hit the region on February 6, a source from the opposition-affiliated Civil Defense told Reuters on Tuesday.

In the recent months, cholera has spread widely in Syria, claiming hundreds of lives and drawing UN agencies to intervene.

In November 2022, the Syrian Ministry of Health received two million doses of oral cholera vaccines, with the support of the United Nations’ UNICEF and World Health Organization.

Even before the earthquake, which killed thousands in the region, the situation in northwest Syria has been disastrous, as nearly 4 million IDPs live there lacking the most basic life necessities.

The Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, said that the they recorded 22 deaths in the northwest since the beginning of the outbreak in September 2022.

“The destruction of infrastructure, water and sewage lines after the earthquake increases the possibility of an outbreak of the disease,” the White Helmets said in a tweet.