So now Iraq has a cholera epidemic! It just keeps topping itself...

[Dhalgren]

"The Kurdistan Region minister of health has announced, in a news conference, the death of five patients from cholera in the region, Kurdistan Democratic Party-run Kurdistan Satellite TV reported on 26 August.

The TV broadcast excerpts from a news conference by the regional minister of health, Ziryan Uthman, who announced the death of five people from cholera in the cities of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. "There have been a few cases of diarrhea recently in Kirkuk. There have been also about 2,000 cases of severe diarrhea in Sulaymaniyah, and medical examinations showed that three of the cases in Sulaymaniyah were cholera cases. This means that most of the diarrhea cases in Sulaymaniyah were cholera cases," the minister said.

He added: "We have requested assistance from the World Health Organization, the Red Cross, and the centre's Ministry of Health in Baghdad in fighting the disease.""


www.juancole.com


Is this really cholera or is Saddam not the only one who could use chemical weapons? Just asking, because we will never know...

[soothsayer]

1. well, since we've destroyed their infrastructure and there's no clean water

I guess we shouldn't be surprised that disease is taking over

[bryant69]

2. Chlorea would not be a chemical weapon but a biological weapon

I believe.

Of course it's in our best interest to unleash chlorea on Iraq because . . . wait, why is it in our best interest to unleash chlorea on Iraq? Cause we're pure evil? or what?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Dhalgren]

3. Right, bio-weapons. I can never keep these things separate in my head.

Ugly things invented to kill people all kinda run together for me. I didn't imply that it was a US weapon that might have caused this. We are talking about Kurdistan, remember, and they have their own set of ill-wishers. And, of course, this may just be your natural disease growing and spreading where the US has given it room and means. But Kurdistan is less severely affected by the occupation than is other parts of Iraq, so it does make one wonder...

[Jim__]

4. That sounds like a potential disaster.

The treatment for cholera is rehydration. In many parts of Iraq, there is a lack of clean water. I'm hoping that the Kurdish part doesn't suffer from that lack of clean water, and treatment is possible.

The Iraqis don't need any more disasters.

[Beelzebud]

7. It already is a disaster...

[Javaman]

5. Well since they basically have no sanitation, this is pretty much the logical next phase

of degradation of the country. I'm pretty sure dysentery is probably high on the list as well.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

6. Cholera is a nasty way to die..

Your muscles contract so violently your bones can break.

Among other unpleasant symptoms.