"At least 73 cholera cases have been confirmed in Haiti's capital, increasing fears that the disease may run amok among people living in shantytowns and tent camps.
But doctors say nearly all those cases involve people who were infected outside Port-au-Prince. Still, the presence of cholera in the capital is worrisome because the shabby conditions following January's earthquake and the recent Hurricane Tomas (toh-MAHS') are conducive for spreading it.
So far, more than 580 people have died from cholera in Haiti. More than 9,500 others are hospitalized with confirmed cases. A confirmed case of the disease had never been seen in Haiti before last month.
Haiti's health ministry says cholera has become a threat to the entire nation of 10 million people."
From reading this report on Cholera in Haiti and I worried that it is going to keep spreading and spreading. Recently in Haiti there was Hurricane Tomas and this made the spread of Cholera even worse. This is because this hurricane resulted in people loosing homes and living on the streets. Living on the streets is unsanitary and so therefore Cholera is spread easier. Haiti has also had a lack of clean water. This is a down affect because one of the affects of Cholera is extreme dehydration. Those who are infected may not be able to buy or receive the water needed to cure this infection.
Another Article updated on November 10, 2010 at 9:24 AM stated that Cholera has now spread to the capital and now another 3 million people are at risk or have this disease in Haiti. This disease just recently spread to the capital port-au-prince. The capital of Haiti has many people who are homeless and Cholera is extremely contagious.
I'm glad you're following this; it seems like a really, really important story. You might try to find out more about what cholera is and how it effects people who get it...and what can be done to prevent its spread...and what WE can do to help.
ReplyDeleteThis seems really important. Good find.
ReplyDeleteWhat should we do? It seems like the two main problems with this cholera outbreak is the fact that it is spreading so rapidly due to poor living conditions and that people don't have sanitary water.
ReplyDeleteI know that since the earthquake earlier this year people have been helping with the living conditions but what have people been doing about the clean water? what should WE do?