Disease risk eases in parts of flooded Pakistan
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The risk of outbreaks of disease has eased in parts of flood-hit Pakistan as water recedes from many areas, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday, but the hard-hit south remains a worry.
The floods that began six weeks ago have inflicted havoc from the northwest to the far south of the country, destroying villages, bridges, roads, damaging millions of acres of cropland and displacing millions of people.
The government and aid agencies have warned of the spread of epidemics, particularly of water-borne diseases such as cholera, in the flood-stricken areas.
However, aid workers say the risk of epidemics has eased to some extent.
“So far, as far as I know, we have not had any serious outbreaks,” UNICEF official Bill Fellows, overseeing various aid groups’ efforts on sanitation and hygiene, told a news conference.
“But the risk factors are there and if we really don’t come together and stay really vigilant, we could have very serious problems. Hopefully that won’t happen.”
While floodwaters have receded from the north and central parts of the country, many areas in Sindh, Pakistan’s southernmost province, are still under water with towns still being inundated as the water makes its way to Arabian Sea.
Tens of thousands of people have fled towns in the Dadu district of Sindh in the past week.
Fellows said the situation in Sindh was critical.
“I think in the north we can say the situation is coming back to normal and the risk is coming down, (but) in the south, especially in south Sindh, unfortunately we can’t get relaxed,” he said.
“The risk factors are there and we have to be extremely, extremely vigilant in south Sindh,” he added.
The floods are Pakistan’s worst-ever natural disaster in terms of damage, with at least 10 million people forced from their homes and 20 million people affected.
The disaster has killed more than 1,750 people, and aid agencies have warned that millions are at risk of death if emergency food and shelter are not quickly provided.
The United Nations says it has received $307 million, or about 67 percent, of the $460 million it appealed for in emergency aid last month, and plans to a launch a new appeal this week in New York.
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ISLAMABAD (Reuters)
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