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Number of people treated for suspected cholera seesaws

POHNPEI, Palikir (FSM Information Service): August 2000 - The latest numbers of suspected cholera cases on Pohnpei since August 2 reads like a seesaw, but they aren't anywhere near the high numbers recorded throughout much of June and July.

Nine people received treatment for suspected cholera on August 2; on August 3, the number dropped to 6; August 4 the number fell to 2 people who were treated for suspected cholera, according to statistics from Pohnpei State Hospital.

However the number rose to 11 on August 5, but fell to 7 the next day, August 6. Then the number of folks treated more than doubled to 16 on August 7, but fell dramatically on August 8 to only 3. On August 9, the number treated climbed to 10, then dropped to 5 on August 10.

The numbers rose to 15 and 12 on August 11 and 12, respectively, but halved to only 6 people treated on August 13. But on August 14 and 15, the numbers rose again to 11 and 13, respectively.

As of April 17, 2,641 people have been treated for suspected cholera. Of this number, 1,352 people have been treated in the outpatient department/emergency room at the hospital; 578 people have been admitted to the hospital; 670 people have been treated at island dispensaries; and 41 people have been treated at private clinics on the island.

The majority of the people who have been treated for suspected cholera since August 2 have been treated at the hospital's outpatient department/emergency room.

Fifteen deaths have attributed to cholera since the epidemic began in April; no deaths have been reported since July 17.