The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed on Saturday five new cases of cholera in the country, bringing the total number of affected people to 600 and 20 deaths since the first case was reported in the north of the country on October 5.
On Friday, 15,549 people were vaccinated, bringing the total number to 391,666 people since the launch on November 12 of a three-week inoculation campaign, according to data collected by ‘L’Orient le Jour’.
Outgoing Health Minister Firas Abiad said the number of people vaccinated so far «is higher than the number expected to be reached during this phase.» The vaccination campaign plans to reach some 600,000 people in total.
The cholera vaccination campaign began in Bekaa and Akkar in northern Lebanon, two of the most affected populations.
About 200 people, including administrative staff and nurses, equipped by the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC), were deployed in several villages in Akkar, where the vaccination is being carried out according to a program determined by the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
In addition, the United Nations has announced this Thursday $9.5 million (a similar figure in euros) to support the country’s efforts against cholera with an aid package that will go in part to the national operations of WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR and other NGOs.
