Deadly Rain And Flooding In Bolivia Trigger Disease Surge
Pastor Dale Morgan
Deadly Rain And Flooding In Bolivia Trigger Disease Surge*
by Staff Writers
La Paz (AFP) Feb 25, 2007
Floods and torrential rain that have killed 35 people and devastated
large parts of Bolivia are causing a sharp rise in various diseases,
including malaria and dengue, officials said on Friday. To date, 1,660
cases of dengue, 1,452 of malaria and 22 of leptospirosis have been
recorded, according to a government report that also mentioned an
undetermined number of cases of respiratory illnesses and diarrhea.
Authorities say two months of rain and floods have left 35 people dead,
10 unaccounted for, and affected hundreds of thousands of people.
The disaster, blamed on the El Nino weather phenomenon, also has caused
millions of dollars in material losses, mangling crops, killing
thousands of heads of cattle and cutting access to some areas in
northeastern Bolivia.
"Bolivia is facing one of its most devastating disasters ever," the
United Nations said, issuing an appeal for 9.2 million dollars in
international aid.
"Water and sanitation conditions have also been seriously affected, with
water supplies damaged and/or contaminated and some wells flooded," the
United Nations said in a statement.
"Lack of sanitation and hygiene is becoming a secondary threat to the
affected population," it said.
And weather forecasters say they expect more rain over the coming days.
Source: Agence France-Presse