Haiti - Health : WHO does not confirm that it is cholera
Although yesterday, in late afternoon, Alex Larsen, Minister of Public Health, said it was cholera, but not able to clarify whether this was the classic strain or strain O1, the World Health Organization (WHO) said this morning in Geneva that it was awaiting the results of its own tests to confirm the presence of cholera in northern Haiti, where it has deployed experts from Washington to supervise the evolution of the sanitary situation.
"We do not confirm that it is cholera" said Fadela Chaib, a spokeswoman for the WHO "This is for two reasons: the rapid tests have been made and we await the results, and Haiti has not experienced with cholera for over a century [...] the fact that people die so quickly is a source of concern" insisting that diarrheal diseases other than cholera can also kill in hours if not treated. Stating that the government may be right but it was speaking on behalf of WHO.
"We have mobilized several medical teams including epidemiologists from our Washington office, medical help is provided to local hospitals, with 10,000 boxes of rehydration tablets and water purification tablets" Recalling that no case appears to have detected in areas affected by the earthquake of January.
