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17:45 GMT
GENEVA, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- The World Health organisation WHO announced on
Tuesday that as of October 25, the Haiti Ministry of Health has reported 3,342
confirmed cholera cases including 259 fatalities.
"Suspected cases are being investigated in the North and South departments,
and five cases have been confirmed in the West Department, where the capital,
Port-au-Prince is located," said the WHO in a press release.
Currently, there are 12 cholera treatment centers being built to support
isolation and treatment of patients: six in Artibonite, one in Central, and
five in Port-au-Prince.
WHO experts said that "the emphasis is on prevention by ensuring clean
water, promoting good personal hygiene, and food handling practices, including
hand washing and trying to prevent defecation in open areas."
As just under half of reported deaths so far are taking place in hospitals,
but more than half are in the community, PAHO is in the process of mobilizing
experts in the area of proper body disposal to travel to Haiti. (end)
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