Cholera Outbreak Declared In Syria

A cholera outbreak has been declared in Syria, posing a serious threat to public health. Since 25 August, 936 suspected cases have been recorded, resulting in at least eight deaths.

70% of the suspected cases have been recorded in the northern Aleppo region, with more than 20% registered in Deir al-Zor. A smaller number have been recorded in Raqqa, al-Hasakah, Hama and Lattakia.

The outbreak was declared following 15 confirmed laboratory cases, including one patient death. As it stands, the number of confirmed cholera cases stands at 26. 20 have been confirmed in Aleppo, 4 in Lattakia and 2 in Damascus. 

Syria’s ongoing water crisis is at the centre of the outbreak. Drought and the destruction of water infrastructure have led to severe water shortages, forcing families to drink unsafe water. This causes diseases such as cholera to spread. 

Our team is on the ground working to stop the outbreak in its tracks. As well as providing life-saving medical care, we’re distributing hygiene kits and running awareness sessions on prevention and early detection. 

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