IRAQ: Two die of cholera in Baghdad orphanage

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: IRIN

BAGHDAD, 19 November 2007 (IRIN) - Two Iraqi orphans died of cholera last week in Baghdad, bringing the deaths from this disease nationwide to 23 since it first appeared in August, the Health Ministry said on 18 November.

“The two boys - one died on 15 November and the other died a day earlier - were under 15 and were in the same orphanage where malnourished children were found last summer tied to their beds,” said Adil Muhsin, the Health Ministry's inspector-general.

Muhsin told IRIN in a phone interview that those running the al-Hanan orphanage in northern Baghdad had failed to ensure the provision of clean water.

“They did not clean the water tank and… neglected our health experts' recommendations. When we inspected it we found sediment in the tank and the chlorine was zero," Muhsin said.

Four more children at the orphanage have been diagnosed with cholera, he said.

Read more: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=75373

[yardwork]

1. It means that the water is contaminated with sewage.

Cholera spreads when raw sewage gets into the water supply.

[Sabriel]

2. Anyone have any info on cholera rates under Hussein?

I'm just sayin'....

[appleannie1]

4. From this report, I would guess none to very little.

A January 22, 1991, Defense Intelligence Agency report titled “Iraq Water Treatment Vulnerabilities” noted,

Iraq depends on importing specialized equipment and some chemicals to purify its water supply, most of which is heavily mineralized and frequently brackish to saline.... Failing to secure supplies will result in a shortage of pure drinking water for much of the population. This could lead to increased incidences, if not epidemics, of disease.... Unless the water is purified with chlorine, epidemics of such diseases as cholera, hepatitis, and typhoid could occur.

http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0401c.asp

If in 1991 they were using the terms 'could occur' and 'a possibility' that would imply the currant outbreak was something possibly forcast for the future.

[sss1977]

3. oh, that's nice...