Reuters AlertNet Lite - More than 150 cholera cases in Vietnam -state media

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

More than 150 cholera cases in Vietnam -state media

10 Nov 2007 05:28:55 GMT
Source: Reuters

HANOI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - A cholera outbreak in northern Vietnam has affected more than 150 people, the first such spate of cases in three years, state-run newspapers reported on Saturday.

The ruling Communist Party's daily Nhan Dan (People) quoted Health Minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu as saying 1,378 people have suffered acute diarrhoea, 159 of whom tested positive for cholera bacteria.

The reports did not say whether anyone had died in an epidemic of acute diarrhoea since Oct. 23 in 13 provinces and cities out of 64 in Vietnam, where the last widespread cholera outbreak was in 2004.

Health ministry officials could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper quoted Nguyen Tran Hien, head of the National Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute, as saying the epidemic "erupted at the same time in many places, progressing rapidly and with symptoms typical of cholera".

He said the diarrhoea epidemic had passed its peak and the number of patients was falling in Hanoi.

"But it is difficult to confirm this trend in other cities and provinces," Hien said.

Cholera is transmitted by contaminated water or food.

Hien said all patients during the first week of the epidemic ate shrimp paste, but more fell sick later without touching the sauce.

At its most acute, cholera causes diarrhoea that can lead to death by severe dehydration and kidney failure.

Vietnam has been fighting various diseases this year, including dengue fever that has infected 75,200 people and killed 64. Bird flu has killed four people and authorities have also reported "blue ear" disease in pigs. (Reporting by Ho Binh Minh; editing by Grant McCool)

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Topics

• Cholera

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Vietnam profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• Emergency Relief for Iraq's Cholera Outbreak
AmeriCares

• Life saving presents for Christmas
Christian Aid - UK

• Cluster Campaign
AUSTCARE - Australia

• Biofuels and rise in the price of foodstuffs: Serious concerns over the availability of food stocks to respond to emergencies
AAH - UK

• Floods in Burkina Faso
Save the Children - International Alliance

MORE >>

Latest news

• More than 150 cholera cases in Vietnam -state media

• Uganda rebel Kony says deputy arrested - mediator

• DRC: Efforts to combat cholera in North Kivu camps

• PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - November 9

• About 1,000 sick in Vietnam diarrhoea epidemic

MORE >>

Last updated:Sat Nov 10 05:31:53 2007