AP Interview: UN envoy Farmer says Haiti cholera outbreak is now world’s worst

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

AP Interview: UN envoy Farmer says Haiti cholera outbreak is now world’s worst
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, October 18, 9:07 PM

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti has the highest rate of cholera in the world a mere year after the disease first arrived in the Caribbean nation, a leading health expert said Tuesday.

Dr. Paul Farmer, one of the founders of the medical group Partners in Health and U.N. deputy special envoy to Haiti, said cholera has sickened more than 450,000 people in a nation of 10 million, or nearly 5 percent of the population, and killed more than 6,000.

Farmer told The Associated Press on the anniversary of cholera’s arrival in Haiti that it’s also on the verge of becoming the leading cause of death by infectious disease in the Caribbean nation.

“It’s freakin’ incredible,” Farmer said by telephone. “In 365 days, you go from no cases to the largest number in the world.”



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/ap-interview-un-envoy-farmer-says-haiti-cholera-outbreak-is-now-worlds-worst/2011/10/18/gIQAeVNZvL_story.html

[Skittles]

1. does Haiti EVER get a break?

:cry:

[Demeter]

2. Can cholera be treated?

http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/tropmed/disease/chol/treatment.htm

When cholera occurs in an unprepared community, case-fatality rates may be as high as 50% -- usually because there are no facilities for treatment, or because treatment is given too late. In contrast, a well-organized response in a country with a well established diarrhoeal disease control programme can limit the case-fatality rate to less than 1%.

Cholera can be simply and successfully treated by immediate replacement of the fluid and salts lost through diarrhea. Patients can be treated with oral rehydration solution, a prepackaged mixture of sugar and salts to be mixed with water and drunk in large amounts. This solution is used throughout the world to treat diarrhea. During an epidemic, 80-90% of diarrhea patients can be treated by oral rehydration alone, but patients who become severely dehydrated must be given intravenous fluids. With prompt rehydration, fewer than 1% of cholera patients die...

In severe cases, an effective antibiotic can reduce the volume and duration of diarrhoea and the period of vibrio excretion. Tetracycline is the usual antibiotic of choice, but resistance to it is increasing. Other antibiotics that are effective when V. cholerae are sensitive to them include cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, doxycycline, chloramphenicol and furazolidone

Persons who develop severe diarrhea and vomiting in countries where cholera occurs should seek medical attention promptly.

IF ANY NATION CARED, SEEMS THAT TREATMENT WOULDN'T BE TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE OR COMPLICATED....

[TheWraith]

3. As usual, it's not quite as simple as "it would be okay if someone cared."

Getting the resources there, starting with the huge amounts of clean water and necessary supplements, and getting it to the people affected--often when there are no roads capable of handling trucks or heavy vehicles, no airstrips, no ports, etcetera--is a lot easier said than done. And then keeping up those supplies so long as the outbreak went on.