The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday that cholera is spreading in all regions of Lebanon, bringing the number of suspected cases to more than 1,400.
For the moment, health authorities have officially confirmed 381 infections and 17 deaths due to a disease of which new cases have been reported after almost three decades.
According to WHO’s regional emergency director, Rick Bernnan, the bacterium has probably arrived in Lebanon from Syria, where it is currently estimated that there could be more than 20,000 suspected cases.
The number of cholera outbreaks has risen sharply worldwide this year, mainly due to increased flooding, drought, conflict, migration and other factors affecting access to clean water, according to WHO.
WHO is supporting Lebanon with medical personnel, equipment and laboratory resources, in addition to providing assistance in clinics and hospitals. The organization is also working with the country’s government to obtain 600,000 doses of a vaccine that is in increasingly short supply.
In addition, the situation in Lebanon is exacerbated by the other crises plaguing the country, including economic recession and political instability. Lack of access to clean water, sewage treatment and poor conditions in health facilities are also not helping to optimally address the cholera outbreak.
