Cholera in Iraq:
From 28 April to 4 June 2003, a total of 73 laboratory-confirmed cholera cases have been reported in Iraq : 68 in Basra governorate, 4 in Missan governorate, 1 in Muthana governorate. No deaths have been reported.
From 17 May to 4 June 2003, the daily surveillance system of diarrhoeal disease cases in the four main hospitals of Basra reported a total of 1549 cases of acute watery diarrhea. Among these cases, 25.6% occurred in patients aged 5 years and above.
Weekly Epidemiological Record
World Health Organization
Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network
Potential impact of conflict on health in Iraq (WHO Briefing)
WHO's Iraq Country Page
Why cholera in Iraq, when there are US forces there minding everyone's business? Simple. When your city services go to hell, you get cholera and dysentery. Among other things.
"Conflict in Iraq will also reduce people’s personal security and restrict their access to food, medicines and medical supplies, clean water, sanitation [my emphasis - Sid], shelter and health services. People's coping capacities are already severely strained: many will find the privations of war overwhelming and need both economic and social support."
"The pattern of conflict has an immediate impact on civilian suffering. If water supplies are damaged, sanitation impaired, shelter damaged, electricity cut, or health services impaired, mortality rates start to rise. If these risks are to be minimized, those involved in conflict must give priority to ensuring that civilians can access these basic needs. If access is impaired, it must be restored as rapidly as possible. Population movements and crowding in temporary shelters increase the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery. In refugee and internally displaced persons’ camps during (and after) previous wars in Iraq, diarrhoeal diseases accounted for between 25% and 40% of deaths in the acute phase of the emergency. 80% of these deaths occurred in children under two year of age."
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