Description of the situation
23 September 1998
Disease Outbreak Reported
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone confirmed today that the current outbreak of cholera affecting the country is caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor, which was identified and confirmed by the Pasteur Institute in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. As of 16 September 1770 cases and 55 deaths were registered. Although some cases of V. cholerae non-O1 were also identified, tests for isolation of V. cholerae O139 were negative.
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation, with support from several agencies, took measures to identify quickly the causing agent and formulate strategies to control the outbreak. Surveillance activities, diarrhoea treatment centres and health education on personal and environmental hygiene have already contributed to a reduction in the number of deaths.