SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP), update April 23, 2012
Health
officials are investigating what could be a new cholera outbreak in the
northern Dominican Republic, where one woman died and more than 200
people have sought medical attention, Health Minister Bautista Rojas
said lastThursday.
He
cautioned that only six of the more than 200 cases have been confirmed
as cholera, including that of a 64-year-old woman who died on Wednesday.
The remaining patients exhibit cholera symptoms but are awaiting
confirmation through lab tests, he said.
The outbreak occurred in the northern town of Tamboril, where heavy rains damaged water and sewer pipes earlier this month.
Bautista
said the outbreak is under control, and government officials said they
are disinfecting potable water with the maximum amount of chlorine
allowed.
The
first cholera outbreak in the Dominican Republic occurred in late 2010
with more than 22,500 cases and 163 deaths reported. The number of cases
had been dwindling since August 2011.
The
neighboring country of Haiti, where the outbreak originated, is still
struggling with cholera, which has killed more than 7,000 people and
sickened 530,000 more, according to Haitian health officials.
Source: USA Today news health
My View : While Cholera vaccine is now available easily in India in the form of oral drops (two doses at a gap of 15 days) for children above 1 year age and adults, it is to be recommended for travelers either to these central american countries, or possibly to visitors to West bengal, Orissa and Bangladesh, where cholera still remains a major health problem. Closer to home (in Chandigarh) special situations with large gatherings of people, like the Kumbh mela may be another appropriate indication of the same.
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