A cholera outbreak that is sweeping through the war-torn nation of Syria has resulted in 39 fatalities and almost 600 cases, according to the health ministry there, and the UN has warned that the disease is “evolving dangerously.”
Since the end of last month, 594 cases have been reported throughout 11 of its 14 provinces, the health ministry announced late Tuesday.
The World Health Organization issued a warning on Tuesday that “the situation is deteriorating dangerously in impacted governorates and moving to other places.”
The majority of individuals who have passed away are in the Aleppo province in the north, however it was unclear at first whether the deceased were counted within the total number of cases.
It is Syria’s first significant cholera outbreak in more than ten years.
The exceedingly virulent illness, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea, is typically caught by tainted food or drink.
Residential areas without sufficient sewage networks or access to main water supplies are susceptible to its proliferation.
In Syria, where more than a decade of conflict has damaged almost two-thirds of water treatment plants, half of pumping stations, and one-third of water towers, the illness is making its first significant reappearance since 2009.
The new epidemic is thought to have originated in the Euphrates River, which has been polluted by sewage.
Increased temperatures, drought-related reduced water flow, and dams constructed by Turkey have all contributed to the pollution issue.
According to the UN, more than 5 million of Syria’s 18 million residents depend on the Euphrates for their drinking water.
The most recent epidemic is particularly concerning for overcrowded refugee camps with limited access to sanitary products and clean water.
According to the WHO, cholera can kill if not treated within hours, however many infected people will show little to no symptoms.
Oral rehydration solutions can readily treat it, but the WHO notes that more serious cases may need intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
Between 1.3 million and 4 million individuals are affected by the illness annually, and between 21,000 and 143,000 people die as a result.
