Round-up: Updates from Syria, Niger and Korea

The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world. Here is an update on Red Cross response to disasters in Syria, Niger and Korea:

Syria

In recent days, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helped deliver food, medicine, and hygiene kits to more than 60,000 people in four towns in Syria. Last week, a deadly attack on a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) warehouse and an aid convoy in Orem Al Kubra (Big Orem) in rural Aleppo claimed around 20 civilians' and one SARC staff member's lives. They were unloading trucks carrying vital humanitarian aid; the attack deprived thousands of civilians of much-needed food and medical assistance. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement repeats its demand that all parties to the conflict adhere to the rules of international humanitarian law, which includes protecting aid workers.

Niger

The Red Cross Society of Niger has mobilized 60 volunteers to disseminate information and preventive messages in communities affected by an outbreak of Rift Valley fever, a highly infectious viral disease. The first cases emerged in the Tahoua region of Niger in late August and the disease has since spread to 28 villages from three communes (Tchintabaraden, Tassara and Abalak) bordering Mali and Algeria. The Ministry of Health, which officially declared the outbreak on September 20th, says 23 people have died from the virus and 60 people have been infected. There are also reports of significant livestock deaths from the virus, particularly cattle, sheep and camels. Rift Valley fever is a contagious disease spread through contact with infected blood or organs of animals, primarily ones that have been domesticated, or from bites of infected mosquitoes. People who become ill with the viral disease usually experience fever, general weakness, back pain and dizziness. With no specific treatment or effective human vaccine, Rift Valley fever can cause blindness and severe haemorrhaging.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

More than 163,000 people have been affected by the destructive floods that struck the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) three weeks ago. The floods were caused by heavy rains from Typhoon Lionrock which merged with another low pressure weather system. Approximately 30,000 homes have been damaged, submerged or completely destroyed and close to 70,000 people remain displaced. Little help has reached some areas, particularly in Musan and Yonsa counties, due to landslides and damage to roads and transport links. Red Cross support aims to provide a variety of emergency assistance over the next 12 months including relief items that include tents, tarpaulins and toolkits for building emergency shelters; kitchen sets and bedding; emergency water supply and education around maintaining good hygiene to prevent communicable diseases; support and medical supplies for health teams on the ground and technical support to help with the reconstruction of permanent homes.