Cholera in Mexico – update

From WHO :

" The Ministry of Health in Mexico has reported an additional four cases of infection with Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa. Of these, three are from the state of Veracruz and one from the state of Hidalgo.

Since the beginning of this outbreak in September 2013 to date, a total of 184 confirmed cases, including one death, of cholera due to Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa has been reported in the country. Of these, 160 cases from the state of Hidalgo, 11 from the state of Veracruz, nine from the state of Mexico, two are from the Federal District, and two from the state of San Luis Potosi.

The health authorities of Mexico continue to strengthen surveillance and to ensure the availability and quality of care in medical units.

Measures are being implemented to ensure access to drinking water and basic sanitation at the community level. Awareness campaigns, particularly around safe water and food consumption are being carried out in Spanish and indigenous languages. Health professionals at different levels of the health care system are being trained in prevention and treatment of the disease.

An antimicrobial susceptibility test for Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa was conducted by the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnostics and Reference (InDRE) which demonstrated that the bacterium was susceptible to doxycycline and chloramphenicol, with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole."

WHO : Cholera in Mexico – update

Press release from WHO : 

" The Ministry of Health in Mexico has reported an additional four cases of infection with Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa. Of these, two are from the state of Hidalgo and two from the state of Veracruz.

Since the beginning of this outbreak in September 2013 to date, a total of 180 confirmed cases, including one death, of cholera due to Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa has been reported in the country. Of these, two are from the Federal District, 159 cases from the state of Hidalgo, nine from the state of Mexico, two from the state of San Luis Potosi and eight from the state of Veracruz. Ninety-two of the total confirmed cases are women and 88 are men, with the age ranging from three-months to 88 years old.

The health authorities of Mexico continue to strengthen outbreak investigation and surveillance at the national level and continue to ensure the availability and quality of care in medical units. Health professionals at different levels of the health care system are being trained in prevention and treatment of the disease. Measures are being implemented to ensure access to drinking water and basic sanitation at the community level. Awareness campaigns, particularly around safe water and food consumption are being carried out in Spanish and indigenous languages.

An antimicrobial susceptibility test for Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa was conducted by the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnostics and Reference (InDRE) which demonstrated that the bacterium was susceptible to doxycycline and chloramphenicol, with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

This is the first local transmission of cholera recorded since the 1991-2001 cholera epidemic in Mexico. The genetic profile of the bacterium obtained from patients in Mexico presents high similarity (95%) with the strain that is currently circulating in three Caribbean countries (Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba), and is different from the strain that had been circulating in Mexico during 1991-2001 epidemic."

India, Karnataka : Nine more cholera cases in Holalu; swine flu reported

Via The Hindu :

" The waterborne disease has spread to neighbouring Vaddara Koppalu and Panakana Halli.

While the authorities concerned are taking steps to curb the spread of cholera in Holalu village in Mandya taluk, a case of influenza A (H1N1) virus, commonly known as swine flu, has been reported in Mandya city.

In Holalu village, nine more cases of cholera were reported on Wednesday. The waterborne disease has spread to neighbouring Vaddara Koppalu and Panakana Halli.

Mandya District Health Officer T.N. Marigowda, while confirming the swine flu case in Mandya city, said Jayamma (55), wife of Chowda Shetty, is undergoing treatment at BGS Apollo Hospital in Mysore.

In view of A (H1N1) case, the Mandya district administration has intensified surveillance in the locality."

Nigeria : Cholera kills five in Sokoto, says health official

Via Premium Times :

" The Deputy Director of Health of Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Bala Oroji, said on Monday that five persons died of suspected cholera at Barkeji Village in the area.

Mr. Oroji announced this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Tambuwal.

He said that all the deceased persons were aged between 27 and 30 years.

Mr. Oroji said that three persons, one female and two males died on October 14, out of nine infected.

”Similarly, a male and female died on October 19 due to the epidemic, out of the remaining infected persons,” he said.

He said that 11 infected persons were hospitalised at the Barkeji community dispensary on Sunday.

According to him, four of the affected persons have been discharged on Monday, while the remaining seven on admission at the health centre are still receiving treatment."

WHO : Cholera in Mexico

Press release from WHO :

" The Ministry of Health in Mexico has reported 171 confirmed cases, including one death, of infection with Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa toxigenic between 9 September to 18 October 2013.

In the second week of September 2013, Mexico was affected simultaneously by a hurricane and tropical storm which caused heavy rains, floods, landslides and internal displacement of populations, thus increasing the risk of diarrhoeal diseases.

Of the 171 confirmed cases, two are from the Federal District, 157 cases from the state of Hidalgo, nine from the state of Mexico, one from the state of San Luis Potosi and two from the state of Veracruz.

Eighty-six of the total confirmed cases are women and 85 are men with ages ranging from three months to 88 years old. Of these, thirty-nine cases were hospitalised."

Nigeria: 8 Killed, 61 Hospitalised in Plateau Cholera Outbreak

Via All Africa :

" Medical authorities in Plateau have confirmed an outbreak of cholera in Namu village in the Qua'pan Local Government Area of the state.

Namu, a village at the Plateau and Nasarawa States border, hosts displaced people in the violent crisis that broke out in the Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

"Yes, there has been an outbreak of cholera in Namu village, eight people have been killed while 61 others have been hospitalised," the Plateau State Epidemiologist, Dr Raymond Yuryit, said in Namu on Sunday.

Yuryit spoke when he received Alhaji Alhassan Barde, the Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who had gone to assess the situation. He said that those hospitalised had been diagnosed with the disease and had been admitted into various health centres.

Juryit attributed the outbreak to overcrowding, dirty environment and the consumption of unhygienic food and water.

He described cholera as a "deadly disease" that could kill "within the shortest possible time because its dehydrates the victim, leading to severe gastro-intestinal impact"."

Cholera Cases Up A Dozen In Mexico, Total Case Count Now 171

Via The Global Dispatch :

" In a follow up to the current cholera outbreak in Mexico, The Ministry of Health in Mexico has reported another 12 cases in the past week, bringing the total case count to 171, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) update Saturday.

All 12 of the new cases are from Hidalgo state. Of the 171 confirmed cases, two are from the Federal District, 157 cases from the state of Hidalgo, nine from the state of Mexico, one from the state of San Luis Potosi and two from the state of Veracruz.

Eighty-six of the total confirmed cases are women and 85 are men with ages ranging from three months to 88 years old.  Of these, thirty-nine cases were hospitalized."

Mexico : Cholera Kills 1, Sickens 158 in 5 States

Article via ABC News, excerpt :

" Mexican authorities say cholera has sickened 159 people, including one who died, and spread to four states and the capital. It is the first local spread of the disease since an outbreak that ended in 2001.

Health Secretary Mercedes Juan says one person died in the central state of Hidalgo, where 145 of the cases have been reported.

Juan said Monday the illness has also been detected in Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, Mexico City and neighboring Mexico state."

Rwanda : 30 Cholera Cases Reported At Nkombo Island

Via All Africa :

" At leaset 26 people have been treated for Cholera at Nkombo Island since August, with hundreds of others at the risk of contracting the disease.

According to the director of Nkombo Health Centre, Didas Mukeshimana, the disease outbreak is attributed to low access to clean and safe water at the island.

No death has so far been recorded officials said. The statistics were announced during a meeting to discuss how to avert the outbreak on the Lake Kivu Island this week that brought together local health and grassroots leaders, district officials and residents.

Nkombo Island is approximately 11 Kilometres from Kamembe town.

The island, which is one of the 18 sectors that make up Rusizi District, covers an area of 21 square kilometres and is populated by about 17,000 residents."

Cholera kills eight in southern Nigeria

Via NST :

" Cholera has killed eight people in southern Nigeria and ten others have been hospitalised, health officials said Thursday, in the latest outbreak to hit the country following a heavy rainy season.

Nigeria suffered cholera epidemics during the rainy seasons of 2010 and 2011, with nearly 2,000 people killed over two years.

While 2012 saw few reported infections, health officials warn that Nigeria remains vulnerable to further outbreaks because of its high population density and poor sanitation in many areas.

“We have eight deaths and 10 people in the hospital,” said Cosmas Oni, spokesman for the health ministry in southwestern Oyo state, adding that the outbreak was confirmed on Monday."

Cholera Victims Increase in Dominican Republic

Article via Prensa Latina :

" The cholera outbreak that emerged in the southern Dominican province of San Cristobal since more than a week, has affected 127 people until today, according to medical sources.
The disease has affected 64 men and the medical assistance is divided in three plans, says Miguel Geraldino, director at Juan Pablo Pina Hospital, in the capital of the territory.

The number of cases is growing because preventative measures taken are fresh, according to authorities who prohibit swimming and fishing in rivers.

Five days ago, when 67 cased were reported, Health Minister, Freddy Hidalgo stated that the situation were under control."

Cuba reports 163 cases of cholera

Via Xinhua :

" Cuba has detected a new outbreak of cholera that has affected 163 people, including 12 tourists, a Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) report said Tuesday.

"All of them are progressing favorably, without casualties," said the PAHO report, which was compiled with data provided by Cuban health authorities and uploaded to the state-sponsored "Yoandry's blog".

The new cases were detected in the western province of Havana, and eastern Santiago de Cuba and Camaguey, noted the report dated Aug. 23.

Among the affected tourists, two come from Germany, Chile, Spain and Venezuela each, three from Italy and one from the Netherlands."

India, Mumbai : Dengue claims kid; 8 cases of cholera in 8 days

Via Times of India :

" The spate of monsoon diseases appears to be worsening with a nine-year-old boy succumbing to dengue in Hinduja Hospital and eight cases of cholera coming up in the first eight days of July alone.

The boy, Yash Bansode, who lived in Vasai, died after a month-long hospitalization on Saturday. This is the second confirmed case of dengue death in metropolitan Mumbai; the first was that of a 42-year-old patient from Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mira Road.

Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) health officer Dr Sunil Wadkar confirmed the death and said Bansode had returned from his hometown of Sangli. Intensivist Dr Khushrav Bhajan of Hinduja Hospital said, "The boy needed dialysis in between. He developed secondary infection, and could not fight it out."

Meanwhile, the incidence of water-borne diseases has increased, confirmed BMC officials. After 12 cholera cases were recorded in June, there are eight confirmed cases in the first eight days of July. Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe diarrhea, dehydration and, in rare cases, death.

Three of the eight cases this month have been recorded from B Ward or the Kalbadevi stretch. "Eight cases in eight days does mean a spurt in cholera cases, but there is no reason to panic," said a senior health official. "Cholera is something new this year as we did not have it last year. However, there is no breakout and we do not need to hit the panic button yet," said BMC additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar."

Malaysia : Miri, Sibu on cholera watch list

Via NST :

" THIRTY-TWO new cases were detected on Saturday bringing the total number of people infected with cholera in Bintulu to 232.

However, Assistant Minister for Public Health Dr Jerip Susil said the outbreak was "under control and contained".

He also declared the popular Ramadan bazaar there as "clean" as all the stall owners and their workers had been tested and found to be free of the cholera bacteria.

Health authorities are keeping a surveillance on the larger nearby towns of Miri and Sibu for fear the infection could spread there.

"We are keeping a close watch. So far from the reports that we got, the outbreak is well contained and there were no reports of cases elsewhere in the state," he said yesterday.

The number of people still in Bintulu hospital on Saturday was 41 while another eight were kept in isolation at the National Service training camp in Similajau, a few kilometres outside Bintulu town which had been temporarily turned into a special quarantine centre.

The camp is currently empty as the NS programme is on a break.

On the Ramadan bazaar, he said when the outbreak was reported this month, one of their priorities was to ensure the bazaar was not affected.

"We made all the stall owners and their workers undergo mandatory screening for the cholera bacteria.

"Tests on the samples and swabs taken showed all were negative. None were carrying the cholera bacteria."
He said the stall owners and their workers had to wear special tags to show their customers that they were "clean".

The tags are similar to the ones worn by frontline service staff at the height of the bird flu infection, declaring they had no flu or fever."

India : Cholera cases reported in city

Via Times of India :

" BANGALORE : Close on the heels of H1N1 scare, cholera and gastroenterology have sparked an epidemic scare in Bangalore. Five cases of cholera have been reported from a private hospital in Chikkalalbagh area, near Majestic, said Dr Manoranjan Hegde, nodal officer, communicable disease, BBMP.

When contacted, Dr Chandrashekar Malagi, Joint Director, Communicable Diseases, State Health and Family Welfare Department, said there were two more cholera cases reported from Isolation Hospital. "However, in a city like Bangalore it is not a huge number. The climate is such that there could be more cases of cholera."

10 people killed in Mozambique cholera outbreak

Via Xinhua :

" At least 10 people were killed in a cholera outbreak in Mozambique's northern province of Nampula, local health authorities reported on Saturday.

The authorities fear the deteriorating of the situation with more than 1,000 cases reported between February and March.

In a statement, the authorities said apart from poor sanitation, heavy rains in January and February were the main cause of the water-born disease.

The rains have left shallow waters in the neighborhoods, where informal stall are selling food and other items without hygiene surveillance, the authorities said, warning that the disease may spread if rains resume in the most populous region of Mozambique."

Zimbabwe : Typhoid, cholera fears in Kadoma

Via News Day :

" Kadoma residents say they are leaving in fear of a possible cholera or typhiod outbreak after going without water for more than a week.

City mayor Peter Matambo confirmed the water crisis, which he blamed on power cuts at the city’s water works.

The city’s estimated 400 000 residents have resorted to fetching water from the few available communal boreholes and unprotected wells.

“Indeed, there were no water supplies since last week following an electrical fault at the water works which Zesa technicians managed to rectify on Tuesday,” Matambo said.

“However, Zesa went on to load-shed and did not spare the strategic area, resulting in our inability to continuously pump water to fill our reservoirs before it gets to all areas.”

He said council had paid for a 24-hour uninterrupted power line to the water works but Zesa was stalling the project, which he said would provide a long-term solution to the city’s water woes."

Uganda : Ministry of Health warns of Cholera outbreak

Via UG Pulse :

" The Ministry of Health has announced an outbreak of Cholera in some parts of the country.

On behalf of the Director General of health service Dr. Denise Lwamafa says that 280 Cholera cases have been reported in the districts of Kasese, Mbale, Sironko,Bududa and Buliisa."

Cholera outbreak kills 27 in Sierra Leone

Via Daily Monitor :

" At least 20 people have died as a result of a cholera outbreak, the Health ministry in Sierra Leone has said.

More than 1,000 cases have been recorded in three districts in the northern region of the country – Port Loko, Kambia and Pujenhun.

Health ministry officials confirmed that those reported to have contracted the disease did so from drinking contaminated water.

“The reported cases suggest an outbreak and the most affected people contracted the cholera bacteria from drinking infected water,” said Dr Foday Dafae, manager National Disease Surveillance and Response at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, at the weekend.

Sierra Leone faces, among other major problems, an unavailability and inaccessibility of clean drinking water in most areas, especially in its rural districts."

Uganda : Bulambuli district put on high alert over cholera

Via UG Pulse :

" Bulambuli leaders have placed the district medical personnel on high alert following an outbreak of cholera in the neighboring Mbale district.

At least two people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 hospitalized following a cholera outbreak in Mbale. Most of the victims have been hospitalized at Busiu Health center.

The Bulambuli Resident District Commissioner, Nabende Wamoto says ever since the disease outbreak a fortnight ago, the district has mobilized its medical staff to handle any cases reported in any part in the district."