UN Expresses Concern Over 26 Cholera Cases in Syria

On Monday, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Imran Riza, expressed serious concern over the ongoing cholera outbreak. So far, 26 cholera cases have been confirmed in this country.

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Between Aug. 25 and Sept. 10, surveillance data showed that a total of 936 severe acute watery diarrhea cases were reported in Syria, including at least eight deaths.

Based on a rapid assessment, the source of infection is believed to be linked to people drinking unsafe water from the Euphrates River and using contaminated water to irrigate crops, resulting in food contamination.

The UN coordinator pointed out that the outbreak of cholera is an indicator of severe shortages of water throughout Syria. Currently, UN agencies and NGOs are coordinating closely with health authorities to ensure a timely and effective response.

On Tuesday, the Syrian Health Ministry said that two people died from cholera in the city of Aleppo, while 20 cases were confirmed in Aleppo, four in the city of Latakia, and two in the capital Damascus. The situation of the disease and the number of confirmed cases have been updated every 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that cholera has also spread in the western part of Deir al-Zour, which is controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). It also said that six people died after contracting cholera in the Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria over the past week.

In northern Raqqa city, also controlled by the SDF, cholera cases are increasing gradually with 15 cases confirmed there.