Death toll mounts as cholera outbreak confirmed in rural Haiti

(October 23, 2010) Haitian President Rene Preval confirmed that an outbreak of cholera caused the deaths of at least 169 people and severe diarrhea and dehydration in 2,000 others in central Haiti within 72 hours. The confirmation October 22 came after clergy in rural communities in the Antibonite department started seeing the illness and reported their concerns to aid workers. Scientists from the Pan American Health Organization and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta continued testing water and food samples to confirm Preval's announcement and determine how the disease suddenly appeared. Aid workers were taking steps to stop the outbreak from spreading from communities in southern Antibonite to other parts of the country and more than 1.3 million people continue to live in flimsy tents. Thousands of people fled to the region after the country's devastating earthquake in January. Water, hygiene kits and antibiotics were being trucked into the area by aid agencies. Daniel Rouzier of Food for the Poor said from the Haitian capital, that his agency sent five water filtration systems into the area October 22 and planned to send five more the next day. Information about the disease's symptoms and prevention tips was passed on to people. Cholera is a water-borne bacterial disease that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea. Left untreated, it can kill a person within hours of the onset of symptoms because of dehydration. The disease can be treated with fluids and antibiotics. People who receive treatment quickly usually survive.