The haitian Minister of Health, Alew Larsen, confirmed on Friday it was a strain "O1" of cholera, the cause of most outbreaks of disease worldwide, according to the World Health Organization Health Organization (WHO). The WHO said this morning waiting for confirmation of the results of its own tests before confirming the presence of cholera in northern Haiti and recalls the moment a "outbreak of diarrhea" indicating that other diarrheal diseases as cholera can also kill in hours if not treated.

LAST MINUTE: As we anticipated, the death toll rose. Gabriel Thimoté, the Director General of the Haitian Ministry of Public Health, confirmed this Saturday, October 23, that 208 people died and nearly 3,000 others infected, are hospitalized in hospitals and health centers, which are overwhelmed by the situation because of inadequate means.

Ecuador:

Ecuador has launched a "epidemic alert" at ports and airports to prevent the disease. In addition, all hospitals and health centers in the country were responsible for monitoring the health situation and respond immediately to any outbreak of the disease and inform the public about personal hygiene measures to prevent such situations.

Jamaica:

The Ministry of Health of Jamaica has raised the alert status Friday, following confirmation of a cholera epidemic in Haiti. According to the Ministry, the National Emergency Operations will ensure continuous monitoring with enhanced surveillance at all ports of entry and in sentinel sites across the island. Dr. Marion Bullock Ducasse, Director of the Disaster Management Ministry of Health, says the country is on high alert because there may be people traveling to and from Haiti. He advises people to defer travel to Haiti.

Dominican Republic:

The Dominican Republic announced today the launch of an epidemiological monitoring program in response to the cholera epidemic in Haiti. All health centers in border cities have been strengthened with health personnel, medicines and medical supplies to treat patients with symptoms of cholera [...] prevention campaign at the border asking people to take hygiene measures has been launched and the Ministry of Health asked the National Water Institute to increase the dose of chlorine in water which is supplied to the population in the border area with Haiti.

See also:

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1490-haiti-epidemic-international-support-mobilizes.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1487-haiti-epidemic-provisional-assessment-and-possible-spread.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1486-haiti-health-the-fight-against-the-epidemic-is-organized.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1484-haiti-health-alex-larsen-confirmed-a-cholera-strain-o1.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1480-haiti-health-who-does-not-confirm-that-it-is-cholera.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1479-haiti-alert-outbreak-the-death-toll-mounts-135-deads-1498-infected.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1477-haiti-alert-lethal-and-devastating-outbreak-out-of-control.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1472-haiti-health-alert-at-least-50-dead-cholera-epidemic.html

PI/ HaitiLibre