UNifeed: GENEVA / DRC CHOLERA

GENEVA / DRC CHOLERA

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday that the number of deaths due to the cholera epidemics in the Democratic Republic of Congo had exceeded 500, as of 18 January 2012 CH UNTV

Duration:01:44Date:27 January 2012

Categories:

United Nations Television, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES, DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, DISEASES AND CARRIERS OF DISEASES, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

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Full Script

STORY: GENEVA / DRC CHOLERA
TRT:  1.44
SOURCE: CH UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH/ NATS

DATELINE: 27 JANUARY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, UN flag at Palais des Nations

27 JANUARY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA: 
“The figures as of 18 January, according to my colleagues at WHO, are that 584 people have died, therefore more than 500 dead. This means that cholera, which is endemic in part of the affected Eastern provinces but not in the provinces along the Congo River is now spreading. We are currently seeing a spike particularly in South Kivu also, with 5500 cases, and that currently accounts for 25 percent of the totality of the cases in the South Kivu.” 
4. Wide shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA: 
“Also, on the Congo River, a very important commercial vector, it is now necessary to disinfect the boats and contain the propagation of the epidemic is along the River Congo. This is a problem which is a concern for many of our humanitarian response partners as well as for the authorities.” 
6. Pan left,  journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA: 
“If our response fails, cholera is likely to continue spreading and to become endemic in the provinces where it was not. Therefore an adequate response is needed and that’s why the emergency fund has allocated 9.1 million US dollars.” 
8. Med shot, journalists

STORYLINE:

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said today (27 Jan) that the number of deaths due to the cholera epidemics in the Democratic Republic of Congo had now exceeded 500.

Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for OCHA, warned that cholera, which is already endemic in Eastern provinces of the country, was now spreading to provinces bordering the Congo River.

SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA: 
“The figures as of 18 January, according to my colleagues at WHO, are that 584 people have died, therefore more than 500 dead. This means that cholera, which is endemic in part of the affected Eastern provinces but not in the provinces along the Congo River is now spreading. We are currently seeing a spike particularly in South Kivu also, with 5500 cases, and that currently accounts for 25 percent of the totality of the cases in the South Kivu.”

The Congo River is a crucial element as it is a commercial vector and the epidemic is now spreading through the river.

SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA: 
“Also, on the Congo River, a very important commercial vector, it is now necessary to disinfect the boats and contain the propagation of the epidemic is along the River Congo. This is a problem which is a concern for many of our humanitarian response partners as well as for the authorities.”

Byrs warned that without the appropriate response, cholera might become endemic in these regions and said that the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund had released 9.1 million US$ to fight the epidemic.

SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, OCHA: 
“If our response fails, cholera is likely to continue spreading and to become endemic in the provinces where it was not. Therefore an adequate response is needed and that’s why the emergency fund has allocated 9.1 million US dollars.”

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. Vomiting also occurs in most patients.

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GENEVA / DRC CHOLERA

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