Via ReliefWeb: Health Cluster Bulletin Cholera Outbreak in Haiti – #12. The full report is downloadable as a PDF. The situation overview:
The evolution of an epidemic cannot be defined with precision. Past experience has shown that an epidemic does not follow a uniform pattern but consists of multiple outbreaks in different areas that may peak in a few weeks in some places, a few months in others.
For planning purposes, the Haitian government is using an estimate of 400,000 cases over the first 12 months, with half of those cases in the first 3 months. There are concerns that in some rural areas the case fatality rate is still very high.
At present, there are enough supplies of medicines for the treatment of estimated cases in the near future, with more supplies continuously arriving. The distribution of these supplies in the departments remains a complex logistic operation, which is sometimes made worse by the security situation.
All partners should build a network of community health workers around the treatment centers with the goals of having every family know how to recognize, prevent and treat cholera, providing every community with a cholera rehydration post, and of engaging every sector of society in the response.
