Iraq Agency Reports Hepatitis E Outbreak, 60 infected

[Alpharetta]

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040924_718.html

Iraq Agency Reports Hepatitis E Outbreak
Iraqi Health Ministry Reports Hepatitis E Outbreak South of Baghdad; at Least 60 Infected

The Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq Sept. 24, 2004 — An outbreak of hepatitis E has infected at least 60 people south of the capital, the Iraqi Health Ministry said Friday.

Ni'ama Saeed, head of the ministry's general health department, blamed contaminated water and the absence of a regular sewage system for the outbreak around Mahmoudiyah, 25 miles south of Baghdad. Officials were distributing water sanitation pills to residents, Saeed said.

The World Health Organization said it had received a report of 60 cases of hepatitis E from Iraq and was monitoring the situation with the communicable diseases center in Baghdad. Nine of those ill are pregnant women, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said.

"WHO has sent hepatitis E kits to Baghdad to see if it is really hepatitis E or not," she said.

Hepatitis E is an acute infection of the liver with symptoms such as high fever and jaundice and is spread via contaminated drinking water and food. In most cases, patients recover. But there is some research that suggests the virus can be fatal to pregnant women.

(more at link:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040924_718.html)

[Alpharetta]

1. Are Iraqis better off?

Well when their water is so bad they get sick like this, I have to wonder.

And just last week Bush diverted more of the "rebuilding" funds from water works to "security".

[troubleinwinter]

2. Been waiting for this kinda stuff

The sewage treatment plants in Baghdad are broken. Raw sewage in the streets, children playing in it. Raw sewage spewing into the river, where people downstream get their water. I have been expecting reports of Cholera, etc. Gonna get worse, I'm sure.

[troubleinwinter]

3. If there are "60 cases reported"

I wonder how many cases have not been found or diagnosed. 10X? 100X?

[Moderator]

4. Duplicate

add this article if it offers new information to:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=860721