Cases of cholera are on the rise in Haiti and neighbouring Dominican Republic, the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on June 24, saying more than 18,000 new cases in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, have been recorded recently.
“This increase may be partly due to the beginning of the rainy season and the flooding that hit the capital,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva. “Data from the Ministry of Public Health of Haiti showed that since the beginning of the outbreak till June 12, there had been 344,623 cases of cholera and 5,397 deaths,” he added. The cholera epidemic in Haiti first erupted last October.
In the Dominican Republic, the Health Ministry reported that since the first cases were reported in the country late last year, there have been 1,727 confirmed cases, including 46 deaths. The ministry is continuing its epidemiological research and response, which include improving water quality and sanitation services, and public awareness campaigns on prevention. (Excerpt from UN News Centre)
