UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

UN-OCHA Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Bureau de la Coordination des Affaires Humanitaires

REGIONAL SUPPORT OFFICE FOR WEST AFRICA ------

Update on Cholera Outbreak in West Africa 16 August 2005

Cholera outbreaks have been registered in Liberia, Guinea (Conakry), Guinea , , Mauritania and Mali since May 2005 and authorities have closer collaborated with the UN system and the donors to curtail this sub-regional health hazard. However, with the good rainy season underway, the weak hygiene enforcement systems, the abject poverty particularly in urban areas and the lack of resources of health authorities in some countries, this epidemic is likely to remain rampant and could possibly further develop given that the planting and harvesting season usually trigger seasonal population movements in West Africa in general and the Sahel in particular.

Today, the most accute situation is in Guinea Bissau. From early May to August 16, the cholera epidemic claimed 133 lives and 6,861 people are reported infected.

Overall, the total cumulated number of cases reported across the West Africa region since early this year has reached closed to 13,900 registered cases and a death toll estimated at on or about 350 leading to a lethality rate of 2.5%.

However, this rate has to be evaluated against recent reports, from Guinea Bissau which indicate that lethality rates in recent weeks have reached of 11% (), 14% (regions of Quinara and Sao Domingos) and 15% in the region bordering the Casamance region of Senegal.

Although the donors community, the UN systems and the NGOs have reacted to these emergencies by supporting strong preventive and curative actions undertaken by health authorities more support is needed to assist health, social affairs and urban authorities to ensure that this rampant epidemic is effectively and durably curtailed.

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