A dose of cholera vaccine is administered during the Health Ministry campaign in Akkar. (Photo: João Sousa/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Lebanon recorded on Tuesday no new cholera cases or additional deaths in the previous 24 hours, the Health Ministry said in its daily report.
The total number of confirmed cases since the beginning of the outbreak in October is now 668. Lebanon has also recorded a total of 23 deaths from the illness. This cholera outbreak is the country's first since 1993.
During a tour with caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad to the government-run hospital in Bebine, Akkar governorate, US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea announced $1.3 million in aid from Washington to UNICEF to help in the fight against cholera in the country.
Lebanon received 900,000 additional cholera vaccine doses last week with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Coordination Group as part of the vaccination campaign's second phase. Meanwhile, according to the UN, the country's cholera outbreak appears to be under control.
Caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad said Monday that the outbreak "might have positive repercussions" as it highlights to international aid providers the "dire situation" of public facilities and infrastructure in the country.