WHO Warns of High Cholera Risk in Lebanon Amid Conflict

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms about a “very high” risk of cholera spread in Lebanon following the confirmation of the first case in the north, Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

WHO representative Abdul Nasir Abubakar highlighted that the affected area has a population lacking vaccination, exacerbated by recent displacements from conflict zones. The ongoing Israeli air and ground attacks complicate the situation, leaving many without cholera immunity for decades.

In response, the WHO is collaborating with Lebanon’s Health Ministry to enhance water and sanitation efforts in high-risk regions. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the activation of a cholera preparedness plan, which includes an oral vaccination campaign targeting 350,000 individuals.

However, escalating violence has disrupted these efforts. Since hostilities intensified, 23 attacks on healthcare facilities have resulted in 72 deaths and 43 injuries among health workers and patients.