Baghdad cholera case confirmed

[unhappycamper]

Source: The Press association

The World Health Organisation confirmed the first case of cholera in Baghdad, raising fears the disease is spreading.

A 25-year-old woman from western Baghdad was found to have cholera after she turned up at a hospital with a severe case of diarrhoea, said Dr Naeema al-Gasseer, the WHO's representative in Iraq.

Cholera broke out in mid-August but had been limited to just the north of the country.

Several suspected cases had been reported in Diyala province, north of Baghdad, but al-Gasseer said none of those had been confirmed.

Read more: http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hvXJToLe3tpbY096cbBc_HX-xKXw

[iconoclastic cat]

1. We have not begun to see the hell that Iraq could become. nt

[maddezmom]

2. kick

[TomClash]

3. Iraqi cholera outbreak spreads to Baghdad

Source: The Independent

An outbreak of cholera in Iraq, which has so far infected 1,500 people, has now reached Baghdad, the World Health Organisation reported yesterday.

The disease was first reported in the northern Kurdish areas of the country and specialist teams were dispatched in an effort to keep the situation contained. The revelation that cholera has now spread to the Iraqi capital, with its vast population of internally displaced refugees and crumbling water and sewage system offering scope for rther proliferation, is a matter of great worry, say health officials.

Fadela Chaib, a spokeswoman for the WHO, said: "The first case of cholera confirmed in Baghdad was two days ago. A 25-year-old woman had contracted the disease. For the time being we have only one case. It is likely others will be identified. The most important thing for Baghdad, even if it is difficult, is to strengthen the disease surveillance system, to be able to identify all the suspected cases and to know what we need in terms of oral rehydration salts, intravenous fluids and antibiotics so we can be ready when we see more cases."

Dr Ali Jassem Mohammed, an Iraqi public health specialist, said: "There are now about six million people living in Baghdad. Many have fled the city and the country because of the violence, but others have come in for surrounding areas. Many of them have very poor standard of living and of hygiene, so we are facing a highly risky situation."

MORE

Read more: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2987809.ece

[lateo]

4. I guess it can get worse.

So much suffering we have caused over there...

[Kagemusha]

5. And chlorine transport is banned.

The US Army got sick of chlorine truck bombs. No chlorine? Get more cholera.

[Limelight]

6. Ok, cholera? Seriously?!

Wow... Finally, Bush's mission is now ACTUALLY accomplished. He's officially turned Iraq into a 3rd world country.

I mean shit, all you have to do to avoid cholera outbreaks is to to give people a decent place away from their drinking water where they can... well, you know... shit.

Un-damn-believable.:banghead:

[Critters2]

7. I heard this on NPR the other day.

Couldn't believe it. Cholera!! If we don't kill 'em one way, we'll kill 'em another. Makes me ashamed.

[nealmhughes]

8. I am surprised i thas not happened before now. I guess people have exhausted their Clorox.

I am sure that the US is "right on top" of the epidemic, of course. Maybe they can have the AEI perform a study showing how privatization of the sewer and water systems in Iraq would have prevented this outbreak.

Here is what McGill has to say about treatment: rehydration therapy and antibiotics usually a 99% recovery rate, with prompt treatment.

But that presupposes that the oral rehydration scheme will be using pure potable water, and of course the IV as well. . .

http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/tropmed/disease/chol/treatment.htm