BIOSURVEILLANCE UPDATE - 5

OPERATIONAL BIOSURVEILLANCE

UPDATES:

Gonaive: 10 more cases discovered

Mirebalais: 50 cases discovered in a prison

Arachaie: 5 more cases

Carrefour & Croix des Bouquets: unknown number of cases, but officially acknowledged

Although officials believe no transmission has occurred in Port au Prince, there are too many reports indicating suspect cases inside the city to know this definitively.

We raise the question about the medical capacity situation in Gonaive and Mirebalais.

Lack of acknowledgement by both media and officials of the situation in Lafito noted. The question of introduction to " Camp Obama" and Cite Soleil is once again raised.

All samples to the best of our knowledge have tested negative from Leogane and Nippes Department in the Southern Peninsula

Serious concern about loss of containment noted.

Significant social anxiety and some isolated reports of unrest related to access to safe drinking water in the St Marc region.

LAFITO/LAFITEAU: A NEW FOCUS OF TRANSMISSION?

The HEAS community of partners has highlighted several times now a steady trickle of suspect cases with three fatalities reported in Lafito / Lafiteau, which remains of strategic response importance given proximity to the IDP settlement known as "Camp Obama" and Cite Soleil.

We urge immediate investigation of this site by the Health and WASH Clusters given the implications for futher introductions of cases to Port au Prince. Official public health reporting to-date has emphasized Arachaie, which is closer to St Marc, however it has been apparent that Lafito is also an important site to monitor.

UPDATE & CORRECTION: ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROFILE OF THE 01 CHOLERA STRAIN IN HAITI

Thanks to Haitian officials' rapid response to our query, the National Laboratory (LNSP) and CDC have officially confirmed the strain is NOT resistant to doxycycline. It is sensitive to doxycycline, cipro, and tetracycline but resistant to ampicillian and bactrim.