Halting food imports from Iraq over cholera fears
summary：Kuwait has halted all foodstuff imports from Iraq, after reports of cholera in Basra and other parts of the country seemed to come more frequently....
Kuwait has halted all foodstuff imports from Iraq, after reports of cholera in Basra and other parts of the country seemed to come more frequently.
The Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait has filed a complaint at the Ministry over the move to cut trade ties. He claims the fears are unwarranted.
The World Health Organisation has yet to issue a report on the status of the waterborne disease in Iraq, but cholera has been a concern in that nation since a major outbreak in 2007 infected 7,000 people and killed 10.
The move will certainly negatively impact trade between the two countries. The embassy asked Kuwait to set a timeline for the temporary ban on food imports and that they look at the situation in Iraq.
The WHO states that cholera outbreaks in Iraq typically occur every three to five years, beginning in September and continuing through to December. Cases then drop off naturally, but little has been done to avoid the risk of reoccurrence.
Source: thenational.ae