Cholera outbreak kills 200 in Cameroon

Worst cholera outbreak in a decade grips Cameroon. In what public health officials are calling the worst cholera outbreak in a decade, at least 200 people have perished in Cameroon as of Thursday, August 12. According to the Health Ministry, since an outbreak warning was issued in June, 2,500 cases of the potentially fatal water-borne disease have been diagnosed in the west African nation, affecting 17 out of 28 districts in the far north. Last year, only 51 people had succumbed to the illness, and while outbreaks normally do not begin until September, this year's first case was detected in May. Aid organizations working in the area such as Plan International say the Cameroonian people's vulnerability has been heightened by recent flooding that has caused further lack of sanitary facilities and unsafe drinking water, combined with widespread malnutrition. Government health officials have been sent to the area to assess the situation, and groups like the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have sent emergency medical kits, water treatment tablets and cholera medicine, while Plan International is working to directly reach communities with information and referrals for treating critical cases. Already, neighboring Nigeria has reported 40 fatalities from cholera in northern Borno state, with 100 people seriously ill following contamination from persistent flooding of ponds that normally provide drinking water.

With our prayers for those afflicted by cholera, we thank Cameroonian officials, the United Nations Children's Fund, Plan International and other aid personnel helping to ease the situation. May Heaven safeguard the vulnerable from such ailments as we strive to restore both human and planetary health through our more considerate stewardship on Earth.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Cholera
• outbreak
• kills
• 200
• Cameroon
• water-borne
• disease
• flooding
• lack of sanitary
• unsafe
• drinking
• water
• malnutrition
• UNICEF
• emergency
• medical
• kits
• treatment
• tablets
• cholera
• medicine

[gadionson1]

very sad video..

[totalmetal91]

if i was living in africa and i was getting my water from a lake or well or wat ever, i would boil my water just to be safe so i dont feel any sympathy for them

[clemencybriane1]

LA JEUNESSE DE MAROUA lance une campagne de sensibilisation contre le cholera qui fait des ravages au Cameroun et precisement dans la province de l'Extreme-Nord! IL EST TEMPS D'AGIR...Une campagne sera ouverte sur facebook afin d'informer certaines personnes, authoritees, ONG et autres qui pourrons etre inform...er et aller a l'encontre de ce drame par voix et moyens..