Description of the situation
19 August 1998
Disease Outbreak Reported
Among other critical health problems, Afghanistan has been suffering from a cholera outbreak since July this year. Approximately 1500 cholera cases per day are reportedly occurring daily in Kabul Province. Other areas affected are Logar and Bamyan Provinces in the central part of the country and Uruzgan Province in the south. Exact numbers are difficult to obtain due to the current security problems. Laboratory investigation has confirmed that the outbreak is caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor. According to information available to date the case fatality rate has been low .
Data are collected from 59 health facilities which are part of a national surveillance system supported by WHO. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, has set up a Cholera Task Force which meets regularly and is attended by several agencies ( WHO, ICRC, UNDP, UNICEF). NGO 's. which were withdrawn from Kabul Province, are not yet able to return but negotiations are currently in progress to resolve this situation.