Re: Haiti - Daily MOH cholera reports - Official total 4,717 fatalities - Numbers are questioned
Re: Haiti - Daily MOH cholera reports - Official total 4,717 fatalities - Numbers are questioned
http://www.diariopinion.com/ultimahora/verArticulo.php?id=795969
Spanish to Eng. translation
Cholera in Haiti, worse than estimated
Publication Date: 26/03/2011 / 00:17:57
Source / Author:
U.S. experts say in The Lancet that the cholera epidemic in Haiti will affect nearly double the 400,000 estimated by the UN.
Experts from the University of California consider the UN estimates "rudimentary." The cholera epidemic that affects Haiti looks likely to be much worse than the authorities think, at least that experts fear the University of California (USA).
According to a study published in the journal The Lancet, cholera almost double the forecast of the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that affect to 400,000 Haitians.
Scientists at the University of California believe that humanitarian aid should be increased. The WHO says it is doing everything possible to contain the epidemic and warned that the models for the estimates may be inaccurate.
Before the earthquake of January 12, 2010 devastated the capital Port au Prince, for over a century that was not detected a case of cholera in Haiti. The bacteria are spread person to person through contaminated food and water. The disease causes diarrhea and vomiting, and some patients, particularly children and elderly are particularly vulnerable to dehydration.
According to recent data, cholera infected more than 252,000 killed 4,672 Haitians. In the last quarter of 2010, 150,000 people contracted cholera in Haiti. About 3,500 died. By then, the United Nations projected that the disease was affecting some 400,000 people. Researchers at the University of California (USA) say that this figure underestimates the potential of bacterium. According to experts, cholera could reach 779,000 Haitians and cause 11,100 deaths in November 2011.
The study led by Sanjay Basu was based on figures provided by the Ministry of Health of Haiti. Their calculations take into account factors such as contaminated water sources and levels of immunity of citizens. With that, they think that those infected will be many more.
