Rare Disease Finds Fertile Ground In Rohingya Refugee Camps
Diphtheria is not seen in the West because almost everyone is vaccinated against it. But it's been infecting thousands of the refugees in Bangladesh.
Diphtheria poses one more threat to already beleaguered Rohingya refugees.
The outbreak started in the sprawling camps in Bangladesh in November soon after hundreds of thousands of Rohingya arrived. It appeared to have peaked around New Year's but now there is renewed concern as the potentially fatal disease continues to spread.
"Yesterday was a very busy day for us," Dr. Andy Doyle said earlier this week at the Samaritan's Purse diphtheria treatment center in the Balukhali refugee camp. "We saw 117 patients come in to be screened [for diphtheria]. That's the most we've
