The cholera outbreak began among Haitian refugees from the countryside outside the capital. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

A recent outbreak of cholera in Haiti has possibly begun to subside, but there are still many afflicted. Haitian officials are pointing to fewer deaths being recorded, so the outbreak may be slowing down, at least. Haiti has experienced severe turmoil since the earthquake in Haiti earlier this year. Those who caught cholera all appear to have contracted the disease from the same region.

Cholera outbreak slowing

A recent outbreak of cholera in Haiti has infected people in the countryside, but it appears to be slowing. Since the outbreak of cholera last week, more than 250 have died and more than 3,000 have been infected, according to the New York Times. However, the frequency of fatalities has slowed, according to Haitian officials. The earthquake in Haiti left millions of people homeless and killed more than 10,000. Many people have been taking up residence in tent cities outside of Port Au Prince, the Haitian capital. However, most of the infected appear to have been in the vicinity of the Artibonite river, which is in a rural area outside of the capital. Haitian officials and aid workers are trying to contain the outbreak outside of the capital. It is the first outbreak of cholera in Haiti in decades.

Cholera toxin

The disease cholera is caused by an infection of the small intestine, according to the cholera Wikipedia page. The cholera disease, or what causes cholera, is typically the presence of a bacterium, vibrio cholerae. It is usually ingested through contaminated drinking water or food. Cholera symptoms include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and dehydration. Treatment is typically intravenous fluids, rest and may include antibiotics. The malnourished are among the most at risk for infection. Untreated drinking water and improper sewage disposal are the most common causes of outbreaks.

Outbreak adds to nation’s turmoil

Though the outbreak may be beginning to subside, Haiti is a torn country. Political instability and widespread unrest will make the upcoming elections difficult.

Sources

New York Times

Cholera on Wikipedia

Saline drips are one of the many products being airlifted in to treat the cholera outbreak. Image: Flickr / nicmcphee / CC-BY-SA

North of Port-au-Price, Haiti, officials have confirmed a cholera outbreak. With more than 1,500 people infected, the outbreak is huge. The outbreak is blamed on the slow recovery from January’s earthquake.

Cholera outbreak proves deadly

For almost a week, medical officials in Haiti have been waiting for confirmation on a disease outbreak in Saint-Marc. The diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration caused by the cholera bacteria can be deadly, especially for children and the elderly. Local hospitals have been entirely overwhelmed by the cholera outbreak. One hospital set up emergency care for cholera victims in the parking lot but had to move them inside when it began to rain. Hospitals have been attempting to transfer patients around hospitals with more room, but the speed with which cholera moves makes that strategy difficult. Approximately 168 people have died, as of this writing, though several thousand have been infected.

First Haitian cholera outbreak in a century

The World Health Organization has confirmed that the Haitian cholera outbreak is the first in Haiti in more than 100 years. Cholera is most often transmitted through drinking dirty water. Some victims of the cholera outbreak are saying that they drank only purchased, purified water. Either way, WHO officials are tracking down what they believe to be the source of the outbreak. Cholera can kill a healthy individual in four hours or less, so fast treatment is incredibly important.

Airlift of supplies for Haiti cholera

Several medical and humanitarian groups have already begun organizing airlifts of supplies to Haiti. The densely populated camps of earthquake survivors are very prone to outbreaks of cholera. Antibiotics, rehydration salts and saline drips are all being airlifted into the country. The lack of a strong sanitation and vaccination infrastructure in Haiti complicates the treatment options for the disease. Until earthquake survivors have reliable sanitation, cholera outbreaks are a consistent and constant concern.

Sources

AOL News
BBC