Cholera outbreak feared in Haiti

  • 09/10/2016
(Reuters)
(Reuters)

The death toll in Hurricane-ravaged Haiti is thought to have reached almost 900.

The biggest concern in the wake of Hurricane Matthew is a major outbreak of Cholera which has already killed seven people.

Cholera is a deadly pathogen which thrives in contaminated water. It has been an issue in Haiti since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010.

It is an acute diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated.

Hurricane Matthew was the strongest storm to make landfall in more than 50 years and now it is one of the deadliest storms too.

In Jeremie, the largest town on Haiti's southern peninsula, 80 percent of the buildings are damaged or destroyed.

At least 350,000 people need help according to the United Nations.

Anna Konotchick works for the Red Cross in Haiti and says that figure may still grow as remote mountain towns are yet to make contact with the outside world.

"We expect to find heavy damage, thousands in need of shelter, food, at risk of cholera, and zika"

US Marines and service members are on the ground helping with the relief effort with hundreds more arriving soon on relief-filled USS Verde.

CBS / Newshub.