Due to the outbreak largely in Syria, Lebanese Minister of Health in the interim government, Firas al-Abyad, said today, Wednesday, about the accelerated spread of the cholera epidemic in the country.
He also added at a press conference that the vast majority of patients are displaced, explaining that there has been a marked increase in injuries among Lebanese citizens.
He found that contaminated water is one of the main causes of infection transmission, in addition to contaminated and mixed vegetables.
He warned that an oil refinery in cholera outbreak areas was out of order, announcing the start of work to equip a field hospital in Arsal, in addition to 8 field hospitals that are ready to distribute medicines and vaccines.
41 people died in Syria
The events came as 41 cholera deaths and more than 700 injured were reported in Syria, according to a report by the official news agency SANA on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the lack of basic services in refugee areas, including safe water or sanitation, is fertile ground for the spread of the epidemic in Lebanon, according to the authorities.
Aggravating the tragedy is the inability of the state to provide the necessary requirements for conducting work within ministries and state institutions, such as diesel fuel.
It is noteworthy that more than two million displaced Syrians are in Lebanon, distributed in camps in the north and in the Bekaa Valley.
The Lebanese government has been cooperating with UNICEF since 2012, i.e. since the date of the displacement of Syrians to Lebanon due to the war), in response to humanitarian issues.
The organization contributed to the provision of clean drinking water to Syrian refugees living in informal camps, and also contributed to the cleaning of the sewer network.
