In an update on the cholera outbreak in war-torn Iraq, The Iraq Ministry of Health and Environment announced today that the numbers continue to rise with anothert two dozen cases reported during the past 24 hours.
According to a Alsumaria News report (computer translated), Assistant Director of Information in the ministry, Rifaq Al-Araji, said in an interview to news source, “the total number cholera cases in Iraq has reached 851 cases,” adding that “95 percent of patients had recovered completely.” This is an increase of 24 as reported Friday.
Al-Araji said, “the number of cases recorded during the past 24 hours was 24 cases and these were distributed among Al-Muthanna, Basra, Kirkuk and Al-Maysan.”
Still health officials say that there has been no fatalities linked to the ever growing outbreak.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given.
Robert Herriman is a microbiologist and the Editor-in-Chief of Outbreak News Today and the Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch
Follow @bactiman63
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