Deeply Concerned about Health, Safety of People in Haiti after Confirmed Cholera Cases, Secretary-General Says United Nations Ready to Deploy Emergency Response Teams

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the health and safety of people in Haiti following the confirmation of two positive cases of cholera and multiple suspected cases in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The United Nations is ready to deploy emergency response teams to support affected communities as soon as safe access is assured and fuel supplies are unblocked.

The Secretary-General calls for immediate and unfettered access on the ground to facilitate the delivery of fuel for humanitarian purposes.  Fuel deliveries have been blocked at the port since mid-September, which has disrupted not only the daily life of the Haitian people, but also the ability and capacity of the United Nations and the international community to respond to a compounding crisis.

The Secretary-General appeals to all stakeholders to work together in this time of crisis, to ensure that the gains made over the past 12 years in the fight against cholera are not eroded.