Both the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone have confirmed to Politico that the country’s worst cholera outbreak in 15 years has killed over 200 people since February, most of them in the last one month.
They also warn that nowhere may be safe from the epidemic.
The latest figures as provided by the UN World Health Organisation show that 218 have died and 12,148 cases have been reported, which means an average of five people dying daily.
The WHO Country Representative, Dr Wondimagenehu Alemu said the epidemic is spreading and fears no major town or city may be safe. “Practically all cities that are linked to Freetown could be affected”. This is a point underscored by the Director of Disease Prevention and Control, Dr Amara Jambai who doubted whether the outbreak had reached its peak. He said with the resumption of schools the situation might get worse before getting better and expressed the fear that all of the country’s twelve districts may be affected. So far nine districts and Freetown are affected. Dr Jambai said that over the last two weeks a large number of cases had been reported referring to its spread as “Cluster bomb effect”.
Meanwhile the WHO has flown in to the country some personnel to help deal with the situation with more expected soon. The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has been sending SMS text messages through mobile phones urging the public to take their personal hygiene seriously by washing their hands with soap after using the toilet and washing fruits properly before eating them.
Last week President Ernest Bai Koroma declared cholera a national emergency.
