New report suggests Haiti cholera epidemic probably started at UN camp

**hellheaven1987** · October 26, 2012, 06:19 PM

New evidence has emerged about the alleged role of United Nations troops in causing a cholera epidemic in the Caribbean nation of Haiti.

A top US cholera specialist, Dr Daniele Lantagne, said after studying new scientific data that it is now "most likely" the source of the outbreak was a camp for recently-arrived UN soldiers from Nepal - a country where cholera is widespread.

Dr Lantagne was employed by the UN itself in 2011 as one of the world's pre-eminent experts on the disease.

The new evidence could have serious implications for the UN, which is facing an unprecedented legal and moral challenge in Haiti - as well as a multi-billion dollar compensation claim from victims' families.

More than 7,500 people have died from the cholera epidemic in Haiti since it started in late 2010. Hundreds of new cases are still being registered every week.

It is by far the largest cholera outbreak in the world in recent years - with more cases than on the whole of the African continent.

Prior to this outbreak, and despite Haiti's many other problems - including a devastating earthquake in January 2010 - the country had not recorded a single case of cholera for over a century.

Cholera is spread through infected faeces and once it enters the water supply it is difficult to stop - especially in a country like Haiti which has almost no effective sewage disposal systems.

After studying molecular data known as full genome sequencing on the strain of cholera found in Haiti - and that prevalent in Nepal in 2010 - Dr Lantagne said: "We now know that the strain of cholera in Haiti is an exact match for the strain of cholera in Nepal."

Source

Well I am not blaming anyone in this case but it shows how easy a single infection can result a wide spread of plague that killed thousands. So yes, please be careful when you go to oversea and try not to bring some fancy bacteria/virus back to your country.

**Menelik_I** · October 27, 2012, 01:31 PM

At least the UN peacekeepers were not sodomizing young children this time around ... right ?

**AqD** · October 28, 2012, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by hellheaven1987

Source

Well I am not blaming anyone in this case but it shows how easy a single infection can result a wide spread of plague that killed thousands. So yes, please be careful when you go to oversea and try not to bring some fancy bacteria/virus back to your country.

maybe, just maybe, that it is a part of the "peace keeping" mission....

BTW isn't cholera easy to stop? It seems like some ancient disease in the dark ages. Who would drink untreated water today?

**Slaytaninc** · October 28, 2012, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by aqd

maybe, just maybe, that it is a part of the "peace keeping" mission....

BTW isn't cholera easy to stop? It seems like some ancient disease in the dark ages. Who would drink untreated water today?

Those with little access to treated water, which would be most of Haiti.

**hellheaven1987** · October 28, 2012, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Slaytaninc

Those with little access to treated water, which would be most of Haiti.

That is part of reasons, but we probably can also look at genetic direction consider there is not cholera outbreak for decades in Haiti.

**Morkonan** · October 29, 2012, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by hellheaven1987

That is part of reasons, but we probably can also look at genetic direction consider there is not cholera outbreak for decades in Haiti.

"Genetic direction?"

It's cholera. It spreads primarily through untreated water. You can find it wherever there is massive flooding and resulting sewage poisoning drinking water. No further thinking required, really.

**Claudius Gothicus** · October 30, 2012, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by hellheaven1987

That is part of reasons, but we probably can also look at genetic direction consider there is not cholera outbreak for decades in Haiti.

Cholera is an endemic disease, those kind of diseases affect small parts of Social Systems for a long time up until a contingency(a combination of variables) triggers a massive epidemic outbreak where the ''endemic'' nature of the disease rapidly transforms into a critical one affecting the grand majority for a determinate period of time.

A freaking earthquake happened... the place where ''index case'' rested is irrelevant, conditions for effectively infecting the population where already set when the already shaky infraestructure ended up dissapearing.