Cholera in cyclone-hit areas

2008-05-16 13:31

Bangkok - Health workers on Friday reported cases of the infectious and potentially deadly disease cholera in cyclone-hit areas of Myanmar, while 20% of children there have come down with diarrhoea.

Relief agencies are struggling to get much-needed medicine to about two million people affected by Cyclone Nargis, who are increasingly at risk of disease as corpses remain in fields and thousands cram into temporary camps.

"We do have some confirmed cholera in the region," said Maureen Birmingham, the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Thailand.

"This is an area that is endemic for cholera ... Thus far it has not surpassed pre-cyclone levels.

"It's being watched very carefully ... The conditions are particularly high risk," she told reporters in Bangkok.

Cholera is a water-borne bacterial disease that swiftly dehydrates sufferers and can be fatal if the person is not rehydrated within 24 hours.

Birmingham told AFP that there were no reports of deaths from cholera so far, but said medicine must reach those in need as soon as possible.

In its latest update, the UN's disaster response arm OCHA said that 20% of children were suffering from diarrhoea in Myanmar's delta area, which was pummelled by the deadly cyclone two weeks ago.

State media in Myanmar has reported that Cyclone Nargis left more than 71 000 people dead or missing, while the UN says up to 2.5 people are in desperate need or food, shelter and medicine.

"We still don't have enough food, clean water, shelter or emergency health care," said OCHA spokesperson Amanda Pitt.

- AFP