Cholera cases in Haiti likely to reach half million by year-end

If the current trends of Cholera continue in Haiti, an increase of 75,000 cases would be expected by the end of 2011, bring the total to about half a million since the beginning of the epidemic, the Geneva based World Health Organization (WHO) warned Friday. After a decline of cholera cases in August, the number of cases rose in September. Significant increases are reported in South and Nippes departments, while figures in North and Port-au-Prince rise moderately. WHO Spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said here at a press conference that incoming cyclone season is posing great risks of flooding and subsequent increase in cholera cases. Torrential rains are expected in South, South-East, and North departments in October along with heavy rainfall throughout the country during the season, creating favorable conditions to the spread of cholera and other diseases. As of October this year, the cumulative number of the reported cholera cases was 469,967, of which 249,819 persons were hospitalized and 6,595 had died. WHO calls upon the humanitarian community and its donors to remain vigilant and attentive to the risks of cholera outbreaks in the near future, and the need for continued long-term coordinated response.