Photo by DFID – UK Department for International Development
In early October of last year, Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti. This caused massive destruction and disease to break out in Haiti, Cholera, which is caused by drinking infected water.
Per CNN, “Thirteen people have died from cholera since Matthew hit Haiti, he said. This tragedy — which has killed more than 370 people — comes after a devastating cholera outbreak in 2010. The United Nations says it has been involved in trying to eradicate the disease in Haiti.”
The United Nations started providing aid to the people of Haiti after hundreds of deaths. At first, there were areas where they could not get to at first.
NBC reports, “‘Some towns and villages have been almost wiped off the map,’ U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters late Monday. ‘Tensions are already mounting as people await help. A massive response is required. U.N. teams are working with local officials to assess needs.’”
Hurricane Matthew was the strongest storm to hit the region in ten years. It kept it’s winds for seven days.
BBC explains, “The hurricane was the strongest to hit the region in a decade. It kept up its hurricane strength with winds of at least 110mph (177km/h) for seven days.”
Cholera had been prevalent in Haiti even before Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti. There had been a Cholera outbreak in 2010 that killed over 10,000 people.
CNN reads, “Haiti has one of the highest rates of cholera in the world, with almost 10,000 people dead from the disease since 2010 and more than 27,000 suspected cases have been reported this year — an estimated 1 in 3 of them children, UNICEF said.”
At first it’s difficult to tell if a person has Cholera, because it takes anywhere from 12 hours to five days for symptoms to appear.
NBC states, “It can take from 12 hours to five days for cholera symptoms to appear after ingesting contaminated food or water, according to the World Health Organization.”
Other countries such as the United States promised to bring aid in after the hurricane hit.
Other countries including France and the US have pledged to send aid. The Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal for $6.9m (£5.6m) and Unicef said it needed at least $5m to meet the immediate needs of 500,000 affected children.
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) also promised to bring aid into the country.
The LCMS explained, “LCMS disaster responders continue to assess the capacity to provide additional aid for hurricane-battered Haiti while also determining the overall impact of Hurricane Matthew, as it makes its way up the U.S. southeastern coastline.”
Please pray for an end to the Cholera virus in Haiti and for many to come to know Christ’s hope through this.
CNN: Haitian leader: Cholera kills 13 after Matthew
NBC: Haiti Needs ‘Massive Response’ to Halt Cholera Crisis After Matthew: U.N.
BBC: Hurricane Matthew: Haiti mourns amid cholera fears
LCMS: Disaster responders plan more aid for victims of Hurricane Matthew