NATIONAL CHOLERA CASES UPDATE

CHOLERA EPIDEMIC: LAST ASSESSMENT, IN PORT-AU-PRINCE, THE EPIDEMIC STOPPED BY POLITICS!
(HaitiLibre.com)

Less than 48 hours before the elections, the last official assessment of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) for Wednesday November 24 and published on Friday November 26 indicates that for the Metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince (Port-au-Prince, Carrefour, Cité Soleil, Delmas, Kenscoff, Petion-Ville, Port-au-Prince, Croix des Bouquets and Tabarre) there were 0 deaths and 0 hospitalizations between November 23 and 24.

Already yesterday, we had questioned the validity of the mortality figures published by the Ministry , which indicated an increase in deaths abnormally low +0.4%, whereas in the previous 48 hours (November 21 and 22) the death rate average was +23.68% per day.

Knowing that health personnel on the ground, inform us that the area of Port-au-Prince represents nearly 50% of cholera cases, the only explanation to this brutal and instantaneous stop of the epidemic, must find its answer in political reasons and not in treatment efficacy (unfortunately).

The publication of the real figures of the epidemic, (in particular the number of deaths) can, as we approach the election, have negative effects on the government candidate (Jude Celestin). It will undoubtedly be necessary to wait after the elections to know the true assessment, unless a second round, extremely probable, serves as a new pretext for political authorities to conceal the magnitude of the situation to the public....

Assessment at the national level:

The latest assessment (cumulative) dated Wednesday, November 24, 2010 and published today Friday by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) reported 31,210 hospitalizations since the beginning of the epidemic; 1,339 more cases from the last official assessment of November 23 (+4.48%) and 1,648 deaths; 45 new deaths (+5.25%), in 24 hours.

Many humanitarians believe that official figures are an underestimate; information that our position confirms. The victims in isolated communities are little or not reported for reasons of accessibility [or politics before the elections of Sunday]. All agree that the death toll is probably higher than 2.000.

Note (1): Comparisons are made between the assessments of November 23 and 24, 2010 (24 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.

Note that since the beginning of the epidemic, 72,017 cholera cases were diagnosed and that 31,210 had to be hospitalized for treatment (43.36%) is +0.53% since yesterday (except Port-au-Prince and the metropolitan area where everyone "is in good health politically".