Lebanon – First case of cholera recorded in Lebanon since 1993

Location: Beirut – Lebanon

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:01:43

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Lebanon

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date 10/07/2022

Storyline:

Lebanon faces the threat of a cholera outbreak, after dozens of cases were recorded in Syria, which puts further strain on the health sector and economic crisis as repercussions of two years of coronavirus. 

Lebanon’s Health Minister Firas Abiad said “the number of diagnosed cases of cholera is still limited,” expecting “a rise in cases due to the outbreak in Syria.”

The Ministry of Health announced yesterday, Friday that “the first case of cholera was recorded last Wednesday in Lebanon in the Akkar Governorate,” noting in a statement that “the patient’s condition is stable and he is receiving treatment in the hospital,” and that “this is the first case” of cholera in Lebanon since 1993.

Shotlist:

– Soundbite (Dr. Firas Abiad – Lebanese Health Minister):

“Yesterday, we recorded the first case of cholera disease in Lebanon, a middle-aged man in Akkar governorate. This is the first case of the disease recorded since 1993. The patient’s condition is stable and he is under observation. The Ministry of Health has been making all the preparations with partners in the World Health Organization and UNICEF over the past weeks for the entry of cholera disease into Lebanon, especially after the spread of the epidemic in neighboring countries and the registration of more than ten thousand cases of cholera in Syria. Making preparations beforehand enabled us to detect the case and perform necessary tests in our laboratories, and we are currently monitoring the condition of the patient, his family and neighbors to keep track in case of contagion. There are several suspected cholera cases, we are taking necessary measures to prevent the disease from spreading. We believe, especially with the current situation in Syria, that we will receive cases infected with cholera, which we will need to be fully prepared for.”