Syria’s major cholera outbreak | Two confirmed cases recorded in Idlib amid poor health conditions

Idlib province: The Health Directorate of the Salvation Government in Idlib has recorded the first two cases of cholera in Atma area camps on the border with Iskenderun region in northern Idlib countryside.

This comes days after several confirmed cases of cholera were recorded in the areas controlled by Turkish-backed factions in northern Aleppo countryside.

SOHR activists in Idlib reported that Idlib and rural Idlib camps suffer from a shortage of clean water, as humanitarian organisations do not provide all camps with water and there are many camps that have no access to clean water.

According to SOHR activists, the displaced people in the camps also suffer from poor service conditions, with rubbish spreading in many camps, especially in camps that are unsupported by humanitarian organisations, and lack of sanitation, causing disease and unpleasant odours.

The outbreak of cholera has ravaged areas controlled by Turkish-backed factions in Aleppo countryside, when three cases were recorded in Aleppo. The first confirmed case was a 40-year-old man in Marma Al-Hajar village in Jarablus city after laboratory tests were carried out on him and another person, then two other cases were confirmed in both Afrin and Al-Bab.

It is worth noting that “Cholera” has recently spread in Syria rapidly, particularly in areas under the control of SDF and the “Autonomous Administration” in north-east Syria.

On September 22, 16 civilians living in “Autonomous Administration” controlled areas, mostly from Deir Ezzor, died of cholera.

According to official medical sources, Cholera deaths were distributed regionally as follows:

• Deir Ezzor: Ten.

• Al-Raqqah: Two.

• Al-Jazeera: Two.

• Al-Shahba: Two.

Meanwhile, the number of suspected cases of cholera has risen to 2,867 and on the rise, especially in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.

Days earlier, SOHR activists reported that several Cholera cases arrived at “Al-Kasra Hospital” in western Deir Ezzor countryside, amid a lack of medical equipment and supplies, where dozens of Cholera suspects arrived at the hospital to receive proper medication.

According to a medical source in the hospital, the “Services Office” was contracted to provide the water stations with chlorine and to sterilize the water, after the increase in the number of affected cases, where the results were good and most cases were healed.

Moreover, due to the media intimidation about the outbreak of Cholera, anyone who suffers from diarrhoea and intestinal upset as a result of the bad weather would head to the hospital in fear of being affected by “Cholera.”

According to the sources, the clinics started operating in many areas to reduce the pressure off Al-Kasra Hospital, where clinics were distributed in Al-Jazara, Al-Hawayj and Mahimida towns with 24 hours of service, where medicine and intravenous fluids are always available.

Moreover, lectures are being given in Al-Tayana, Zayban, Suwaydan and Al-Jarzy areas to raise awareness.

Accordingly, the Cholera cases and suspects have risen to 200, while the number of deaths has risen to four.

Yesterday, the Syrian Government’s Ministry of Health announced that the number of confirmed cases of cholera has reached 338, while the number of deaths has reached 29, distributed in Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and Al-Hasakah.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.