Haiti cholera death rate slows but risk remains

The death rate in Haiti’s cholera outbreak appears to be slowing, ministers said yesterday.

The government said only six people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 259.

Some 3,330 have been infected.

Yet the UN and aid agencies fear the disease could still spread from the northern and central regions of the Caribbean island to Port-au-Prince.

“If cholera spreads to the capital, it could be absolutely devastating,” said Phoebe Greenwood from the UK-based charity Save The Children.

“You have more than one million people there, who are still homeless as a result of the earthquake in January. They are living in really unhygenic and very cramped conditions in temporary camps. If cholera spreads through these camps, the loss of life could be tremendous.”

Five cholera cases have already been reported in the city, but they were quickly diagnosed and isolated.

Cholera is an acute bacterial infection that rapidly dehydrates the body and causes vomiting and diarrhoea. 

If left untreated, it can kill within 24-hours.

Cholera is spread through consumption of infected food and water.

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