Kurdistan
Kurdistan Regional Government's health minister Saman Barzinji speaking during a press conference in Sulaimani on June 20, 2022. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health ministry on Monday allocated 800 million Iraqi dinars to Sulaimani amid a surge in diarrheal cases and reports of cholera infections.
Health minister Saman Barzinji held a meeting with health officials in Sulaimani a day after the city was directed to announce a state of emergency amid a surge in cholera cases.
On Sunday, Iraq’s health ministry confirmed 10 cholera cases in Sulaimani, one in Kirkuk and two in al-Muthanna province, while scores of others are suspected to be infected. Erbil also reported at least four cases later in the day.
Sulaimani’s health department said 4 thousand people in Sulaimani were hospitalized over the past week due to uncontrolled diarrhea and vomiting.
Barzinji said there have been deaths among the cases but did not disclose an exact toll.
The suspected cases are sent to a central laboratory in Baghdad for analysis, which is the only facility able to provide the diagnosis.
The health minister said only 10 percent of the diarrheal cases are sent to the Iraqi capital for diagnosis.
The Kurdistan Region recorded a large-scale outbreak of cholera in 2007, 2008, and 2012, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera, says WHO.
In 2007, dirty water led to an outbreak of the infection in Iraq, reportedly infecting 7,000 people and killing 10.
Health minister Saman Barzinji held a meeting with health officials in Sulaimani a day after the city was directed to announce a state of emergency amid a surge in cholera cases.
On Sunday, Iraq’s health ministry confirmed 10 cholera cases in Sulaimani, one in Kirkuk and two in al-Muthanna province, while scores of others are suspected to be infected. Erbil also reported at least four cases later in the day.
Sulaimani’s health department said 4 thousand people in Sulaimani were hospitalized over the past week due to uncontrolled diarrhea and vomiting.
Barzinji said there have been deaths among the cases but did not disclose an exact toll.
The suspected cases are sent to a central laboratory in Baghdad for analysis, which is the only facility able to provide the diagnosis.
The health minister said only 10 percent of the diarrheal cases are sent to the Iraqi capital for diagnosis.
The Kurdistan Region recorded a large-scale outbreak of cholera in 2007, 2008, and 2012, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera, says WHO.
In 2007, dirty water led to an outbreak of the infection in Iraq, reportedly infecting 7,000 people and killing 10.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment