What is the reality of the cholera outbreak in the Saraf refugee camp and?

"On 11/07/2019, the Ministry of Public Health was informed of the presence of 32 cases of hepatitis A, referred to as Al-Safira A, in a Syrian refugee camp in the Sarafand region, in the and 16 cases were discovered in the laboratory and most cases were recorded among children without complications or death, and tests were carried out for the water used in the camp, where the results showed faecal contamination in some samples.

The epidemiological surveillance team in the southern governorate, in coordination with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is closely monitoring the case to take the necessary corrective measures.

In this context, the Ministry of Public Health wishes to emphasize 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. "