Cholera cases on the rise in Haiti | Inquirer News

Cholera cases on the rise in Haiti

/ 12:49 PM October 19, 2022

Cholera Haiti

A woman brings her child showing symptoms of cholera to receive treatment at a clinic run by Doctors Without Borders in Cité Soleil a densely populated commune of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, October 7, 2022. AFP

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Cholera cases are rising in Haiti, according to Health Ministry figures obtained by AFP on Tuesday, fueling fears of a new disaster in a country already deep in a humanitarian and security crisis.

As of Monday, 606 suspected cases and 66 confirmed cases had been identified, according to a ministry report.

Article continues after this advertisement

That constitutes an increase of 222 new suspected cases between October 13 and 17. In addition, 22 deaths were recorded in medical facilities.

FEATURED STORIES

Suspected cases have also been recorded in new regions of the impoverished Caribbean country, in particular in the central region.

One of the epicenters of the disease is the civilian prison in Port-au-Prince, with 271 suspected cases, 12 confirmed and 14 people dead, the ministry report said.

Article continues after this advertisement

The new assessment came a day after a meeting at the United Nations where the Security Council discussed deploying a special international force to Haiti to deal with the humanitarian and security crisis.

Article continues after this advertisement

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as “absolutely nightmarish,” with criminal gangs blockading the country’s main oil terminal.

Article continues after this advertisement

Speaking at the United Nations, Haitian Foreign Minister Jean Victor Geneus said he had “the delicate mission of bringing before the Security Council the cry of distress of an entire suffering people and of saying loudly and intelligibly that the Haitians don’t live, they survive.”

While the number of cholera cases continues to rise, protests have resumed in Port-au-Prince and around the country to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Article continues after this advertisement

A demonstration of several hundred people was dispersed on Monday with tear gas not far from the US embassy.

Haiti suffered a cholera epidemic between 2010 and 2019 that was accidentally introduced by UN peacekeeping troops and killed more than 10,000 people.

RELATED STORIES

Cholera kills at least seven in Haiti as disease returns

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

Haiti facing humanitarian catastrophe, UN body says

TAGS: cholera, Haiti

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.