Bloody diarrhoea widespread in eastern district

More than 1,500 cases of bloody diarrhoea, resulting in nearly 100 deaths, have been reported in the eastern district of Kenema since the start of December, MSF-France is quoted as saying by the UN Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit (HACU) in its latest report. Samples collected have tested positive for shigella, according to WHO. “Shigellosis is caused by poor environmental sanitation and personal hygiene,” a WHO source in Freetown told IRIN. “It is usually transmitted by water and through food.” Mobile teams are giving health education and treatment in the villages as well as distributing soap, oral rehydration salts (ORS) and chlorinating wells, according to the HACU report, which covers the period 5-16 January. The WHO source said bloody diarrhoea was “more or less a nationwide phenomenon” and that outbreaks had been reported in other districts: Koinadugu in the northeast, Tonkolili in the centre and Moyamba in the northwest. “Although action is being taken to contain the situation, we will not know the real extent of the problem until more research is done,” the WHO source said. Several cases of bloody diarrhoea were also reported by International Medical Corps (IMC) at a demobilisation centre in Port Loko. The ex-combatants had reportedly been drinking from a stream instead of chlorinated wells.