Cholera deaths surpass 2,700, Haitian government says
Baku, December 28 (AZERTAC). More than 2,700 people have died in the 10 weeks since Haiti`s cholera outbreak began, and nearly 130,000 have been infected, the Health Ministry said.
About 40 people are dying each day from the epidemic, the ministry said Monday night.
International health experts estimated that within the next 12 months, up to 400,000 people could contract the bacterial infection that causes diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.
In the past several days in south-western Haiti, more than 40 voodoo priests have been killed by mobs who accused them of being responsible for the cholera outbreak, local media reports said Monday. The attacks occurred in the Grand Anse area.
Deadly protests also occurred last month against the UN mission in Haiti, whose peacekeepers the demonstrators blamed for bringing cholera to their country.
Tests conducted by epidemiologists and microbiologists in response to the riots failed to back up the accusation.
The first case of cholera in Haiti in 100 years emerged October 19 along the Artibonite River in the centre of the Caribbean country. Many Haitians often do not know what to do in case of an infection and seek medical help too late.
Experts said they believe the actual numbers of the sick and dead from the disease, which is primarily transmitted through contaminated water and food, is much higher than the official figures.
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