NATIONAL CHOLERA CASES - UPDATE

EPIDEMIC: LAST ASSESSMENT, 23,377 CASES, 1,344 DATHS, CHOLERA GAINS THE SOUTH
(HaitiLibre.com)

The epidemic in Haiti could easily get worse despite efforts to control it, say the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization (PAHO).

Dr. Scott Dowell infectious disease specialist said "with regard to the eradication of cholera in Haiti, we have little hope at this point. We believe that Haiti will have to treat cholera for several years. The treatment is simple, fast and can save many lives and it is on this aspect that health authorities focus."

The NGO Terre des Hommes (TDH) is stepping up briefings and prevention of cholera in the West and South departments of Haiti, where the organization Save the Children supports some 50,000 earthquake victims.

Professor Michel Roulet, of TDH, which has conducted numerous missions in Haiti warns "I have personally witnessed four outbreaks of cholera in various parts of the world but I never saw the spread stopped, whatever the severity of the measures taken. We must prepare ourselves to deal with long weeks of illness until the peak of the epidemic is reached. Then it will take weeks before it is reduced, knowing that there will be new outbreaks in subsequent years."

Assessment at the national level:

The latest assessment (cumulative) dated Friday, November 19, 2010 and published today (Monday) by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) has reported 23,377 hospitalizations since the beginning of the epidemic; 2,510 additional cases from the last official assessment of November 17 (+12.02%) and 1.,344 deaths; 94 new deaths (+7.52%).

Port au Prince and metropolitan area:

In Port-au-Prince and metropolitan area, (Port-au-Prince: Carrefour, Cité Soleil, Delmas, Kenscoff, Pétion-Ville, Port-au-Prince, Tabarre and Croix des Bouquets) it has reported 1,618 hospitalizations since the first reported case in this area; 161 cases more than the last assessment (Nov.17) (+11.05%) and 77 deaths; 13 new deaths (+20,31%).

Many humanitarians believe that official figures are underestimated, information in our position, confirms. The victims in isolated communities are little or not reported. Mortality rates in the Northeast (14%), South (9.5%) and Southwest (18.2%) were the highest in the country (mortality including deaths in hospital and community)

Note (1): Comparisons are made between the assessments of November 16 and 17, 2010 (48 hours). Official figures incorporate data submitted by departments to the Department of Epidemiology and now include the cases reported by NGOs and the Cuban medical mission.