Water-borne diseases, psychological disorders, disruptions in care and treatment, super-infected wounds… The first epidemiological bulletin from Public Health France since Cyclone Chido warns of the health situation in Mayotte.
- Public Health France has published its first epidemiological bulletin since the passage of Cyclone Chido.
- The health authority reports a worrying situation in Mayotte with wounds and trauma as the main reasons for seeking emergency services.
- The situation leads to disruptions in care and treatment, which can have serious consequences for patients.
This Friday, January 3, Public Health France published its first epidemiological bulletin since the passage of Cyclone Chido, which hit Mayotte on December 14. On the island, the priority remains the care of vital emergencies and the injured. But the health authority reports a worrying situation and the need, as soon as possible, to ensure continuity of care and treatment.
Amputations linked to superinfected wounds
In detail, between December 21 and 29, there were 1,440 visits to the emergency room. At the same time, at the Mayotte Hospital Center (CHM), there were nine deaths and 29 patients admitted to intensive care. “Wounds and trauma were the main reasons for referral to the CHM emergency room, followed by diarrhea and vomiting.“, indicates Santé Publique France, which holds this data from the system of “reinforced surveillance” set up on the island. This makes it possible to identify data from health structures and the population, via questionnaires.
The material destruction of Cyclone Chido “have considerably hindered access to healthcare, drinking water and hygiene and food products, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of a population already in a precarious situation”, says the document. Public Health France notes “disruptions in care and treatment” which carry significant risks of complications for patients with chronic illnesses or those with super-infected wounds, of which there are an increasing number. For the latter, the health agency notes cases of septic shock or necrosis, for which some patients had to be amputated.
“Stress, fear or distress”: the psychological disorders of the cyclone
At the same time, Public Health France indicates that several water-related pathologies – linked to the lack of drinking water – are rampant in Mayotte. “Acute rotavirus gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, cholera, as well as diseases such as leptospirosis and bronchiolitis, are among the main threats“, details the health authority. But it’s not just the physical consequences, the impact is also psychological. “Many people are suffering from ‘stress, fear or distress’, conditions exacerbated by the consequences of the cyclone”underlines Public Health France.
To support the CHM, a field hospital, with a capacity of 100 patients, was set up on December 24. But, from the opening, the threshold was exceeded. On the second day, 200 patients were treated. Between December 24 and 29, 1,170 patients were treated.