UNICEF Urges Urgent Action Amid Risk Of Cholera In Syria Spreading To Other States

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is calling for urgent action amid the risk that the cholera outbreak in Syria and Lebanon may spread to other countries, UNICEF Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Bertrand Bainvel said on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th October, 2022) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is calling for urgent action amid the risk that the cholera outbreak in Syria and Lebanon may spread to other countries, UNICEF Deputy Regional Director for the middle East and North Africa Bertrand Bainvel said on Monday.

"The fast pace of the cholera outbreak in Syria and Lebanon is alarming and the risks of the disease further spreading to other countries in the region call for immediate action," Bainvel said in a statement. "Urgent support is needed to respond and contain the spread of the disease."

Bainvel noted that the epidemic in Syria has resulted in more than 20,000 suspected cases with acute diarrhea and 75 cholera-associated deaths to date, while in Lebanon there have been 448 confirmed cholera cases in the past two weeks with ten associated deaths.

Bainvel pointed out that several neighboring countries are already affected with a high number of acute diarrhea cases and may be at risk of cholera.

"Cholera outbreaks and acute watery diarrhea add to children's struggles in these countries.

Malnourished children are more vulnerable to developing severe cholera disease, and the cholera outbreak is yet another blow to already overstretched health systems in the region," he said.

Bainvel pointed out that UNICEF urgently needs $40.5 million to expand its emergency cholera response in Syria and Lebanon alone.

On Saturday, the Syrian Ministry of Health reported there are nearly 1,000 confirmed cholera cases in the country and more than 40 related deaths.

In September, the Syrian government declared an outbreak of cholera in the Aleppo Governorate but the disease has since spread to neighboring Lebanon. More than 13,000 suspected cholera cases have been reported across Syria.

Cholera is an acute bacterial infection transmitted through contaminated food or water whose symptoms include acute diarrhea. A person can potentially die from the illness within hours if untreated, but most people recover after exhibiting only mild symptoms, with the help of oral rehydration solutions.