Health partners in Haiti are responding promptly to increasing cases of cholera in the West department to ensure that the new infections do not spread to the capital, Port-au-Prince, has delared yesterday Friday a spokesperson of the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Given the early detection of alerts, a prompt response is under way," Fadela Chaib, the WHO spokesperson, told reporters in Geneva.

She said the current surge in the number of cases in Ouest department is a reminder of the need for vigilance. "Haiti will be facing cholera for years unless water and sanitation issues are properly fixed," said Ms. Chaib.

There are two weeks the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had announced that the aid workers in Haiti getting ready for a resurgence of the cholera epidemic, which coincides with the rainy season. The Spokeswoman of OCHA, Emmanuelle Schneider, had admitted that "more water means more cholera and that health (the health system) in the country is still very weak". For this reason she had called to "an increased vigilance" and had warned that an increase in cases could be registered in the south west, south-east of Haiti, including the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Last cholera assessment : since the beginning of the cholera epidemic in Haiti (October 19, 2010), 302.401 people were infected and treated, 162.651 people were hospitalized and 5.234 people died. According to the latest report from the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) [figures undervalued according to UN experts], dated of May 10, 2011.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2944-haiti-cholera-rainy-season-season-of-risks.html

HL/ HaitiLibre