Haiti-Health: The Cholera O1 type kills many people in the North and the East

Friday, October 22, 2010
P-au-P., October 22, 2010 [AlterPresse] --- A cholera epidemic of type O1 was declared in the north and east of Haiti and did during the last 72 hours 142 dead, then that 1600 cases were identified, according to the private station Radio Vision 2000.

Health authorities confirmed the presence of cholera O1 type in the country, but argue that 118 people died in the affected areas and 1024 cases are reported.

The Director General of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), Dr. Timothy Gabriel, told AlterPresse that tests conducted by the National Public Health Laboratory confirmed the nature of the disease.

He said the worst affected areas are located at the department of Artibonite and four deaths were counted and identified 106 cases in Mirebalais, city department of the Central Plateau (east).

Other sources cited by the media are state rather than a dozen dead in Mirebalais.

"We're in a health emergency," said Dr Timothy.

He stressed that cholera O1 type version is the most dangerous of the disease. "With the mobility of the population, the risk of spread is real," he adds