The first cholera case was reported in Harana Buluk district on August 27. On September 18, Berbere district became the second reporting cholera cases, followed by Delo Mena district where suspected cases were reported on October 3, according to the UNOCHA.
The UNOCHA said that the use of unsafe water from contaminated water points is the most likely cause of this outbreak.
Limited access to water and sanitation services, poor hygiene practices that include open defecation, as well a lack of water treatment options are among the factors that have contributed to the rapid spread of the disease across these three districts, it added.
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Figures from the UNOCHA show that new suspected cases are reported daily in the three affected districts. Presently, there are 15 active cases in the existing Cholera Treatment Center across the three districts, with 71 per cent of the patients experiencing severe dehydration symptoms.
Due to people’s mobility, the UNOCHA warned that there is a high risk that the outbreak could propagate into bordering zones, including Southern and Eastern Oromia, the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region, and Somali Region. The Bale zone remains one of the most drought-affected areas with increasing malnutrition cases and reports of a measles outbreak.
Source: IANS
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