 Clean water is essential in containing the spread of cholera
Since the outbreak began in early January, 131 cases have been confirmed of which two resulted in death, according to L" Kohossi with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) in Benin.
"This epidemic has erupted due to lack of hygiene," Dr. Kohossi told the UN News Centre.
He noted that with the current dry season in Benin, locals are finding it difficult to get clean water and are therefore drinking from the Oueme River, which is polluted.
Most of the cases are centred around four villages located near the Oueme River " Bonou, Adjohoun, Dangbo and Aguegues.
Additional cases have been detected in the capital, Cotonou, which is some 200 kilometres from the epicentre of the outbreak, and Allada, located 100 kilometres north of Cotonou.
The Ministry of Health and local authorities are working to sensitize people against drinking unclean water and trying to identify ways to provide them with clean water.
Meanwhile, WHO is providing emergency kits, including medicine, that are being distributed to health centres in the affected areas to treat patients with cholera " an acute intestinal infection picked up through contaminated food or water, and which results in diarrhoea that can lead to severe dehydration and death without prompt treatment.
Source: UN News
Global 
-
A United Nations human rights group today will begin reviewing more than 200 cases of disappearances around the world, as the body commemorates its 30th anniversary. more
-
The United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria is today launching a new group of high-profile Internet users to inspire and involve social media audiences in the effort to combat the disease. more
-
An independent United Nations human rights expert who recently visited Myanmar said today that there is no indication that the Government is willing to release political prisoners ahead of national elections scheduled for later this year. more
-
-
-
Armed with machine guns and dogs, 11 police agents in Kaluga storm the St George Evangelical Lutheran Church during an ordination service looking for possible terrorists. Russia’s law enforcement agencies are fighting the religious extremism of Evangelical Lutherans and Jehovah’s Witnesses, and ... more
-
Journalist and co-founder of the National League for Democracy, Win Tin spent 19 years in prison, 12 under isolation. He recently celebrated his 80th birthday. In a book, he says Myanmar is prison. In 1989, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison for anti-government propaganda. more
-
Alina Ganjuana, a real estate agent in the United States for the past eight years, talks about her experience. For her, spirituality is more important than making money. The Philippines has the third largest number of migrants overseas. In 2009, they sent some US$ 17 billion home; that is 10 per ... more
-
Enceng Kurnia topped the list of Indonesia’s most wanted. He was mentor to Imam Samudra, one of the Bali bombers, and has been linked to an extremist involved in the 2004 Australian Embassy attack in Jakarta. Ten terrorists have died so far in the latest anti-terror unit operation. Indonesian ... more
Comments
|
|
RSS