Coordinator of the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) Al-Jazira and Euphrates Committee, Abdelbaset Abdullatif, presented a report to the political committee detailing the reasons that led to cholera outbreak in northeastern Syria. The report put forth a set of recommendations for containing the disease.
Abdullatif pointed out that in the period between August 25 and September 10, hundreds of cases of acute watery diarrhea were reported in the region, including at least eight deaths. He said that the majority of cases were reported in Aleppo province, adding that the cases were reported as follows: 676 cases in Aleppo, 201 in Deir Ezzor, 17 in Raqqa, eight in Al-Hasakah, and two in each of Hama and Latakia provinces.
Abdullatif indicated that it is believed that the infection originated from drinking unsafe water, the source of which is the Euphrates River, in addition to using contaminated water to irrigate crops.
He recommended that the SOC’s political committee work with the Syrian Interim Government and the Ministry of Health to provide the necessary treatment for the ill; provide Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and Al-Hasakah with vaccines; and expedite the immunization of children.
Abdullatif stressed the need to secure chlorine for the water pumping stations, and organize awareness-raising campaigns for the local population in order to stymie the spread of the disease.
(Source: SOC’s media department)
