Outbreak of Cholera Is Feared in Iraq By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 1:02 p.m. ET BASRA, Iraq (AP) -- Two hospitals in southern Iraq have reported 17 confirmed cases of cholera in Basra, and the World Health Organization said Wednesday it fears far more have gone unreported. A WHO team dispatched to the southern city this week said the number of confirmed cases does not reflect the extent of the disease. ``An outbreak of cholera, affecting probably several hundreds of people, is occurring,'' said WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib. The first confirmed cases in Basra turned up in children age 4 and under. Tests were done by the Al-Tahir Teaching Hospital and Basra Maternal and Child Hospital. Additional samples have been sent to a laboratory in Kuwait for confirmation, and results are expected by Thursday. Health officials said they feared the disease is already epidemic. With 17 confirmed cases, ``you can expect 10 times more within the larger population,'' said Dr. Denis Coulombier, a WHO epidemiologist. ``It's a very small number,'' WHO spokesman Iain Simpson told The Associated Press in Geneva of the confirmed cases. ``But it's a very bad sign.'' Simpson said the simplest solution is for health workers to visit Basra residents to tell them how to protect themselves from cholera. Prevention methods include boiling drinking and cooking water and regular hand washing after using the bathroom. But he said health workers are unable to begin the campaign because looters stole hospital vehicles and medical staff are unable to move freely around Basra because of continued violence in the city. Health experts have been warning of the potential for a large outbreak of cholera, given the shortage of clean water and lack of sanitation in southern Iraq. During the war, Basra's water treatment system was shut down after coalition airstrikes damaged the electric grid. Residents in the city of 2 million went for several weeks without running water. Many people collected water from the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Hospitals have reported increasing numbers of patients admitted with diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints. Cholera, a waterborne disease, can be treated if detected early. However, it can prove deadly, especially to malnourished children. British forces and aid agencies have sent water tankers through the city and surrounding towns, and British engineers have restored about 80 percent of the water system.
This is what happens when there is an insufficient supply of drinking water and waste management facilities. This happens in Bangladesh every so often.
I resent you bringing this up. Go live in Damascus,if you don't like the US. See how much freedom you will have to post this stuff over there against the government. Be a patriot. This is just collateral damage. Only Al Qaeda type Iraqis will die of cholera. No innocents will die and besides it is Sadam's fault for not following UN resolutions.
What is your goal in posting this rimrocker? Is it to rejoice that Iraqis are suffering from cholera? Is it to claim that our foreign policy has failed because of this outbreak? Is it to blame the courageous men and women of our armed forces for not preventing this from happening? Your motives sicken me.
Actually, it was to show that there is another health crisis brewing. With SARS, most of the US and international agencies are already taxed and there will have to be some sort of international response to this one. Oh yeah, and the other reason was to blame the courageous men and women of our armed forces.
You make good points Glynch. I am thinking that the Americans probably are trying to poison the Iraqis so they are weakened the point where they will accept becoming the 52nd state in the Union after Afghanistan. I have always enjoyed your logical posts. Please speak on this issue more.
Hey, our official line is who cares, they are free to choose their own government, unless we don't like it, and did you catch that carrier landing by passenger Viking by Bush? Oh, did you mention tax cuts...
Robbie, is just pissed that I beat Jorge to his post first. Only thing is that Jorge is serious!? I was sarcastic.
But you have to admit that Jorge wasn't being sarcastic. TraderJorge, a walking ad that many people are better off going to large state supported universities, where even aspiring bond salesmen can't help being exposed to non-elitist diverse points of view.
