Cholera spread fueled by conflict and climate puts 1 billion at risk

GENEVA (AN) — An unprecedented global surge in cholera puts one-eighth of the world's population at risk, the United Nations warned.

Some 1 billion in 43 countries could contract the bacterial infection because of complex humantarian crises fueled by poverty, conflict and climate change, officials from the U.N. health and children's agencies said on Friday.

Heavy rains and warmer temperatures make it easier for the bacteria that causes cholera to spread, posing a major setback for global efforts to eradicate the infectious disease.

Most cases are mild to moderate, accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, but cholera can cause death if it is not treated properly and is especially dangerous for young children. Cholera infections come from food or water infected with the Vibrio cholerae bacterium.

The World Health Organization sought US$160 million and UNICEF said it needs US$480 million to respond to and prevent more cholera outbreaks. Their plan covers more than 40 countries with active outbreaks or a high risk of cholera.

The disease is spreading to countries where it is not usually seen. And the water-borne disease is a major problem in West Africa, particularly heavy rainy seasons.

So far this year at least 24 countries have reported cholera outbreaks compared to 15 at the same time last year, Henry Gray, WHO's incident manager for the global cholera response, told a press briefing.

"Despite advances in the control of cholera made in the previous decades we risk going backwards," Gray said.

"Drivers for this situation are poverty, conflict, climate change and resulting displacement," he said. "Displacement takes people away from safer sources of food and water, and of medical support. The resources available for cholera prevention and response are spread thinly."

There's not enough oral cholera vaccine to go around, either. Just 8 million of the 18 million doses requested for this year are available, according to Gray.

Jérôme Pfaffmann Zambruni, head of UNICEF's public health emergency unit, said cholera is a disease that no one should die from because it is treatable and preventable.

But the situation will worsen, he said, because climate change is acting as a "vulnerability multiplier" in places like cyclone-hit Mozambique and Malawi, flood-ravaged Pakistan and Nigeria and the drought-stricken Horn of Africa.
Days ago, another powerful cyclone hit Myanmar and Bangladesh.

“The current global cholera situation is unprecedented due to the alarming size of the outbreaks, geographic spread, and extraordinarily high rate of deaths," said Zambruni.

"We must increase capacity. This is a wake up call," he said. "Cholera is a longstanding 'pandemic of the poor.' It’s unacceptable that little attention and support have been given to the vulnerable people affected by it."