Damascus-SANA
The Director of Communicable and Chronic Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Zuhair Al-Sahwi, confirmed that the investigation teams of the Ministry are continuing with epidemiological surveillance operations, to achieve an exemplary response that surrounds cholera and eliminates its transmission.
Al-Sahwi indicated in a statement to SANA reporter that the ministry worked on several axes when monitoring the disease, including adopting the national operational plan based on health and water axes, raising community awareness and communicating about cholera prevention among the targeted population through investigation teams.
On the current reality of injuries, Dr. Al-Sahwi indicated that they increased by only 7 injuries, without recording deaths since the last update on December 17, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed injuries to 1,634, and 49 deaths.
Regarding the distribution of injuries, Al-Sahwi indicated that the governorate of Aleppo recorded 998 injuries, Deir Ezzor 235, Lattakia 98, Hasakah 93, Raqqa 54, Hama 44, Homs 30, As-Suwayda 26, Damascus 20, Rural Damascus 17, Tartous 10, Daraa 5, and Quneitra. 4, indicating that the number of deaths in Aleppo governorate reached 40, Hasakah 4 deaths, Deir Ezzor two deaths, and one death each in Homs, Hama and Damascus.
In her turn, Director of Primary Health Care at the Ministry, Dr. Razan Tarabishi, explained that despite the lack of stock of cholera vaccines, due to the increasing global outbreak of the disease, the Ministry was able to secure the vaccine through exceptional government efforts and with the support of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Global Vaccine Initiative (GAVI). In order to enhance the government health response, in the interest of the safety of the individual and society.
The ministry's teams succeeded in reaching 95.3 percent of the target group, according to Dr. Al-Tarabishi, in the campaign that it launched on December 4 in the governorates of Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Ezzor, and Al-Hasakah countryside, noting that the previously set goal of the campaign is 1,993,169 people over the age of one year, with exceptional efforts around the clock. The vaccine was administered to 1,901,142 people, which is not final.
Dr. Tarabishi indicated that the campaign was attended by 2,269 health personnel, through 63 health centers, and 685 mobile teams, pointing out that the side effects that were monitored and reported are for very limited cases, and are embodied in headache and simple nausea, which is temporary and goes away on its own.
Rama Rashidi
Follow SANA's news on Telegram https://t.me/SyrianArabNewsAgency
