Iran has 43 cholera cases mainly near Iraq-report

[Flabbergasted]

This is tragic but presents an interesting issue. It's going to make immigration an issue as well as creating a potentially dangerous humanitarian crisis in Iran were the country to be bombed.



http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSBLA649266

Iran has 43 cholera cases mainly near Iraq-report
Sat Oct 6, 2007 9:45am EDT

TEHRAN, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it had 43 cholera cases, four times more than previously announced, and added they were mostly near Iraq where there has been an outbreak of the disease, an Iranian news agency reported.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) official said on Thursday 10 cases had been confirmed in Iran. WHO has urged neighbours of Iraq, where cholera has struck more than 3,300 people since mid-August, to strengthen their defences against the disease.

Iran shares a long border with Iraq. Many Iraqi refugees have fled to Iran to escape violence at home, while Iranian Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims often cross into Iraq to visit holy sites there.

"The total number of confirmed cholera cases has reached 43, most of them identified in (Iran's western) Kurdistan province among those who used to frequently cross the Iraqi border," Health Ministry official Mohsen Zahraie was quoted as saying.

[Lucinda]

1. There is no telling what sort of health problems are being created

I cannot fathom the fact that they still don't have basic services in many areas. It's horrific.

[Skidmore]

2. Cholera outbreaks happen there periodically.

Particularly in the provinces.