From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Mon Sep 07 2009 - 16:40:53 EDT
Cholera/diarrhoea outbreak hits 18,000 in Ethiopia
07 Sep 2009 15:53:22 GMT
* 18,000 infected with diarrhoeal disease
* Fears religious festival for 500,000 will fan outbreak
By Barry Malone
ADDIS ABABA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases
have infected 18,000 people in Ethiopia over the last three weeks in
many parts of the country, including the capital Addis Ababa, according
to a document seen by Reuters.
The document -- minutes of a meeting attended by international health
charities and U.N. agencies last Tuesday -- said half of
moderate-to-severe cases of the 18,000 infections were cholera. It did
not say how many were moderate-to-severe.
Most of the diarrhoeal illnesses that were not cholera were acute watery
diarrhoea (AWD), health workers said.
"To date there are approximately 14,000 cases of AWD/Cholera (in the
regions) and an additional 4,000 from Addis Ababa," the minutes of the
meeting said.
Addis Ababa usually suffers less from diarrhoea epidemics than other
parts of the country, but the city's health authorities are
investigating the hygiene standards of hundreds of hotels and
restaurants, according to local media.
Health workers, who declined to be named, told Reuters the fatality rate
was 2 percent when the outbreak began but that it had been reduced as
local and international agencies stepped up their response.
"The case fatality rate is falling as the response matures," the minutes
of the meeting said. "The epidemic is now in its second phase, case load
taking the form of a series of peaks over a protracted period."
Ethiopia's Health Ministry said last week that 34 people had died from
AWD but it had not yet confirmed any cholera cases.
FESTIVAL FEARS
The government and international charities are distributing antibiotics
and emergency treatment centres have been opened across the country --
including under tents in the grounds of several hospitals in the
capital.
Cholera is caught from contaminated water and food and it causes extreme
diarrhoea and vomiting. It can spread quickly and kill an adult in one
day without help, but it is easily treated when caught in its early
stages.
Aid agencies now fear a religious festival scheduled for this month will
worsen the outbreak of AWD and cholera.
"The Meskel religious festival (is a) major cause for concern," the
document said. "Up to 500,000 people are expected to gather for 10 days
from 15-30 September with poor access to safe drinking water and
sanitation facilities."
The U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its
weekly bulletin for Ethiopia published on Monday that it was also
concerned about the risk AWD will spread when schools re-open in
mid-September.
The Horn of African nation -- that still uses an ancient calendar --
will also celebrate its new year on Sept. 11 with thousands of revellers
taking to the streets.
Some governments in Africa are often reluctant to admit to the presence
of cholera for fear it could hamper agricultural exports and tourism.
(Editing by David Clarke and Jon Hemming)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L7718472.htm
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