Syria, Jordan Not Reporting Numerous Cholera Cases, Israeli Health Authorities Say

Israeli health authorities claimed today that Jordan and Syria were keeping secret the existence of “numerous cases of cholera.” The spokesman for the Health Ministry, Shraga Haber, said in a radio interview that “the Ministry has good grounds for the assumption that Jordan and Syria deliberately fail to report cholera cases, as required under the statutes of the World Health Organization.” He also said that Ministry investigators have good reason to assume that a cholera-infested terrorist had infiltrated to the West Bank from Jordan, died in a refugee camp and been buried there secretly. The terrorist had apparently carried the cholera germs into the country, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, all border crossing points have been put under strict health supervision to combat the cholera outbreak, which started last Friday with the discovery of a case in the Anata refugee camp. Health Minister Victor Shemtov acted that day to quarantine the camp and the Augusta Victoria Hospital on Mount Scopus, where the patient was diagnosed.

Only holders of valid inoculation certificates are now allowed to cross the Jordan River in either direction. At ports and airports, however, the restrictions apply only to travelers arriving from the Far East; they have to produce an inoculation certificate or be immunized right there. Departing travelers are inoculated only at their own request. Health authorities continue to be convinced there is no danger of a spread of the disease, which is commonly acquired from germs in drinking water, “even if further individual cases are reported.” The authorities are therefore refraining from mass inoculation. Even in the Armed Forces, only soldiers stationed near the Jordan bridges or otherwise exposed to potential contacts are being immunized. So far four choleric patients have been diagnosed–three Arabs and one Jew. There are three suspected cases in a Jericho hospital who are undergoing tests; their refugee camp has been placed under total quarantine.

Since Friday, a special inoculation station has been in operation at Lydda Airport in Tel Aviv. It is at the disposal of all passengers wishing to be inoculated. A number of countries are already demanding inoculation for anyone entering them. The situation regarding the United States, however, is not clear, as the American health authorities had not by today–more than 48 hours after Israel announced the first cholera case–given any notice as to their demands. But many American tourists on their way home are queuing up at the injection stand to avoid possible quarantining back home. Health Ministry bacteriologists have discovered two different sub-strains of cholera among the cases diagnosed so far, leading them to believe there may have been infection from different sources. The Ministry has set up a special cholera headquarters under Minister Shemtov and Director General Raphael Grzebin. The headquarters today urged the populace to observe strict hygiene.