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Second phase of vaccination campaign launched, 'danger' still present

Second phase of vaccination campaign launched, 'danger' still present

Caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad during a press conference. (Credit: NNA)

BEIRUT — Caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad announced that the second phase of the cholera vaccination campaign was launched Friday and warned that “danger” is still present.

The Ministry of Public Health launched the second phase of Lebanon's vaccination campaign with the arrival of 900,000 vaccines. The ministry urged citizens to take the vaccine, noting the high number of cases in neighboring countries.

Representatives of the World Health Organization in Lebanon, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the head of the Amel International Foundation, and representatives of MEDAIR, Doctors Without Borders and the Lebanese Red Cross were present in the Friday meeting with the health ministry.

Abiad stated that a plan was developed to begin vaccinating areas with high infection rates in the north, Baalbek, Hermel, AND the Bekaa.

The total number of cases recorded since the beginning of Lebanon's outbreak in October is now 660. Lebanon has also recorded 23 deaths.

The Lebanese “health system has managed, in cooperation with international and local partners, to contain the epidemic, even though this system is exhausted due to the crisis in Lebanon," said Abiad. “Although good work has been done, in terms of basic service networks related to securing safe water and sanitation, what is required is still very great, because the current reality, unfortunately, helps the spread of the epidemic.” 

The Litani River Authority (LRA), a public water institution, announced last week that it found cholera in four out of 10 samples collected in the Bekaa from the river's source in Chtoura, as well as from the Berdawni River in Zahle and in Marj near a Syrian refugee encampment.

The LRA linked the contamination to "the discharge of untreated wastewater," highlighting that the disease was present in areas "downstream from camps for displaced Syrians, sewage outlets or hospitals."


BEIRUT — Caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad announced that the second phase of the cholera vaccination campaign was launched Friday and warned that “danger” is still present.The Ministry of Public Health launched the second phase of Lebanon's vaccination campaign with the arrival of 900,000 vaccines. The ministry urged citizens to take the vaccine, noting the high number of cases in...