No epidemic recorded cases in airports or border crossings, Iraq

INA – BAGHDAD
 
Iraqi Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday, that no cases of epidemic diseases were recorded at airports and border crossings, announcing the numbers of deaths and injuries of cholera and hemorrhagic fever – VHFs throughout Iraq, as health centers were deployed to monitor communicable diseases.
 
"The total number of the recorded cholera cases since the beginning of the wave and the recent outbreak of the disease reached 1250," said the ministry's spokesman Saif Al-Badr to the Iraqi News Agency – INA.
 
On VHFs cases, Al-Badr noted that the ministry recorded new cases bringing the total,since the beginning of this year, to 311 including 57 deaths in all governorates.
 
"VHFs is dangerous, viral and common disease between humans and animals. It is transmitted from infected animals via direct contact or vector insects (the tick),” he explained, stressing that “when the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, the possibility of recovery is very high."
 
He highlighted that "the symptoms of the disease are high fever and pain in different areas of the body, as these are considered simple stages that can be treated and recovered. Yet, if the patient reaches the stage of bleeding under the skin causing body bruises, the injury here is serious and the possibility of death is high."
 
"There is no direct treatment or effective vaccine for this disease for humans and animals, but the protocol recognized by the Ministry of Health is supportive treatment, fluid replacement and blood transfusion in early stages to the patient, which can have a high recovery rate,” Al-Badr pointed out.
 
He referred to, "the role of the concerned authorities in eliminating the phenomenon of random islands in governorates and within cities, as well as combating the insect that transmits the disease (the tick) by the Ministry of Agriculture."
 
"The ministry has the ability to detect the disease early through the central public health laboratory and give supportive health care, in addition to health education and awareness in partnership with the media," he added.
 
The statement of Al-Badr included that "health centers are all over airports and border crossings insides and part of their duties according to the international health regulations is to pay attention to communicable diseases," pointing out that "no cases of hemorrhagic fever or cholera were recorded at airports or border crossings."