There is no truth about the presence of cholera cases in the Sarafand refugee camp

The Ministry of Health announced in a statement that on 11/07/2019, the Ministry of Health had been informed of the presence of 32 cases of the hepatitis A virus referred to as Al-Safira A in a camp of refugees from the Syrian region of Saraf and southern Lebanon, which would explain the impact The Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health of the Southern Governorate has carried out the necessary investigations. It has also been found that most cases have been recorded in children without complications and that no deaths have been reported. In addition, tests were conducted for the water used in the camp.

The office noted that the southern governorate epidemiological surveillance team was following closely the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to take the necessary corrective measures.

He stressed that the Ministry of Public Health insisted on the following points:

– There is no truth about the presence of cholera cases in the Syrian refugee camp in Sarafand or any other region of Lebanon, as has been the case in some media.

– The hepatitis A virus is caused by a virus that affects the liver and causes symptoms usually ranging from mild to moderate and may include: fever, malaise, anorexia, diarrhea and nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine and jaundice .

– The disease is transmitted fecally-oral either directly through the consumption of water or contaminated food, or indirectly through direct physical contact with an infected person. The disease is also spread through the use of messy toilets and cooking utensils.

– The treatment of the disease is limited to the treatment of symptoms while maintaining comfort and a stable diet and compensation for lost fluids. It is also important not to use antibiotics as they can lead to serious complications.

– The consumption of drinking water and the use of safe water, especially when washing vegetables and fruit, as well as the practice of hygiene, especially washing hands before preparing and Eating and after using the toilet are one way to reduce the spread of the disease. Wastewater must be disposed of properly.