Thousands of Deir Ezzor residents in the Autonomous Administration areas were infected with cholera, which began to spread at the beginning of September 2022, according to confirmations from medical sources affiliated with the Autonomous Administration. People with acute diarrhea and vomiting symptoms flocked to hospitals in the region to run medical tests where they were diagnosed with cholera. Cases began to raise on a daily basis across various areas, and many patients died. As of 1 October 2022, the Autonomous Administration announced (4,988) cases and the death of (14) patients in Deir Ezzor only.
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria said in a statement on 12 September 2022, there were reports of hundreds of suspected cholera cases in Syria, including (201) cases in Deir Ezzor governorate. In his statement, he warned that the disease represents a “serious threat to people in Syria and the region” and added: “We urge all parties concerned to ensure sustainable and unhindered access to affected communities”.
According to the director of “Al-Kasra” water pumping station, the water contamination of the Euphrates River is behind the cholera outbreak. He added: “The river was polluted because it has been turned into a landfill and an estuary for wastewater, and what made the problem even more complicated is the river’s decreasing water levels. Many areas do not get drinking water from the water pumping stations. Therefore, people in those areas rely on water tankers that collect the water directly from the river without any sterilization process”.
Read more: Cholera in Deir Ezzor An Eminent Epidemic
