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Cholera deaths on Pohnpei jump to 15

POHNPEI, Palikir (FSM Information Service): July 2000 - Fifteen people are suspected of having died due to the effects of cholera as of July 17, according to Pohnpei State Hospital printout from medical records received today.

The medical printout, also, shows that as of July 17, 2207 people have been treated for suspected cholera since April 17 of this year.

The breakdown by location of treatment is as follows: 1,104 people have been treated at the Outpatient Department/Emergency Room; 512 have been admitted to the hospital; 550 have reported to dispensaries around the island; and 41 have been treated at one of several private clinics on the island.

Since June 19 a decreasing trend with occasional spikes had been appearing on the bar graph provided by the hospital, but July 10 it suffered a jump to 52 people. This was cut in half to 26 people being treated for suspected cholera on July 11, and 31 being treated on July 12.

The number dropped to 29 on July 13, but it surged again to 41 on July 14. The number began to tumble to 33 then 15 on July 15 and July 16, respectively. However, on July 17, 30 people are reported as having been treated for suspected cholera.

FSM Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Social Services Dr. Jefferson Benjamin said the spikes seem to follow attendances at funerals. He stressed, again, stressed the importance of following strict personal hygiene and that the increases are occurring through food.