May 29, 2006 (Gambella) – Although the number of new cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) reported to Gambella Hospital and health centres in Gambella Region has been decreasing since the second week of May, the Regional Health Bureau (RHB) is concerned regarding the AWD situation in Akobo woreda, which borders Sudan. Prevention and response to the outbreak in Akobo, where there is no health services, is hampered by inaccessibility due to the lack of roads.

Meanwhile, the treatment of AWD at Gambella hospital, which was undertaken by MSF-CH since the outbreak of the disease, has been handed over to the hospital as of 16 May. According to MSF-CH, the total attack rate since the start of the disease was 3 percent. In refugee camps, no cases of AWD have been reported since those in Fugnido camp at the beginning of the month. The repatriation of refugees was put on hold when the AWD outbreak began, and will not be resumed until the disease has been totally contained, with approximately three to four weeks of zero cases reported.

For more information contact: HQdist@unhcr.ch