Cablegate: Niger: Cholera Outbreak

VZCZCXRO6157
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #1051 2611447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181447Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2900
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUFGCIN/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS NIAMEY 001051

SIPDIS

AIDAC, SIPDIS

ACCRA FOR USAID
DAKAR FOR OFDA
AF/W FOR BACHMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR NG XI XY

SUBJECT: NIGER: CHOLERA OUTBREAK

1. NGOS ARE REPORTING OUTBREAKS OF CHOLERA IN SEVERAL AREAS OF NIGER
FOLLOWING FLOODS IN THOSE AREAS. CASES OF CHOLERA HAVE BEEN
REPORTED IN BIRNIN KONNI, DIFFA, MARADI, MADAOUA, AND ZINDER. THE
FIRST CASES WERE REPORTED ON SEPTEMBER 11 AND THE NUMBER OF CASES,
AS WELL AS PLACES WHERE CASES ARE OCCURRING, HAVE INCREASED SINCE
THEN.

2. TO DATE, POST HAS RECEIVED REPORTS OF 75 CHOLERA CASES AND FIVE
DEATHS IN ZINDER TOWN, IN THE EASTERN PART OF NIGER. ZINDER
SUFFERED FROM HEAVY FLOODING CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINFALL ON SEPTEMBER
10. LOCAL AUTHORTIES IN ZINDER HAVE SET UP A SPECIAL CAMP OUTSIDE
OF TOWN FOR THE TREATMENT AND QUARANTINE OF CHOLERA CASES.
EVIDENTLY, ALL RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS OF THE TOWN HAVE REPORTED
CHOLERA CASES. ALSO, THREE DEATHS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO CHOLERA
IN A VILLAGE (DOLLE) LOCATED NEAR BIRNIN KONNI, IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL
PART OF NIGER ON THE BORDER WITH NIGERIA.

3. THE LATEST REPORTS RECEIVED ON SEPTEMBER 18 ON THE CHOLERA
OUTBREAK NOTE POSSIBLY THREE CHOLERA-RELATED DEATHS IN MARADI TOWN,
IN THE CENTER OF SOUTHERN NIGER, 49 KILOMETERS FROM NIGERIA.
FURTHER REPORTS ARE EXPECTED AS IT SEEMS THIS OUTBREAK IS GROWING IN
IMPORTANCE AND SPREADING GEOGRAPHICALLY. THUS FAR, NEITHER THE
GOVERNMENT OF NIGER NOR THE LOCAL PRESS HAS MENTIONED THE CHOLERA
OUTBREAK. HOWEVER, NGOS ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS TO TREAT
CHOLERA CASES AND TO CONTAIN THE FURTHER SPREAD OF THIS ENDEMIC
DISEASE. POST WILL CONTINUE
TO MONITOR CLOSELY THIS SITUATION AND REPORT ACCORDINGLY.

ALLEN

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