The storm made landfall in an almost identical location – and with similar force – to that of Hurricane Eta two weeks earlier.

To date, Direct Relief has dispatched seven emergency shipments, with support from FedEx, to on-the-ground partners in Honduras and Nicaragua, totaling 62 pallets and with a value of almost $10 million. The pallets contained a large variety of medicines and supplies, including antibiotics, antifungals, cardiovascular medicines, vitamins, PPE, and wound care supplies.

The death toll from Hurricane Eta is 185, with reported deaths in eight countries, including the United States. While the current death toll from Iota stands at 31, with 40 reported missing, those numbers are thought to be low due to compromised telecommunications limiting the dissemination of information, and are expected to increase in the coming days and weeks.

Across Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, over 200,000 people have been displaced, either temporarily or semi-permanently.

Before reaching the Nicaraguan mainland, Iota blew over the tiny Colombian island of Providencia (population approximately 5,000), where Colombian authorities report that one person was killed and 98% of the island’s infrastructure seriously affected. Providencia’s one hospital is reported to be largely inoperable.

By early Wednesday, Iota had significantly weakened as it passed over mainland Central America, finally dissipating over El Salvador.

However, while the winds decreased significantly about 20 hours after making landfall, the rainfall did not. The storm’s center passed south of Tegucigalpa, Honduras’s capital. There, it dropped extremely heavy rains where tens of thousands of people live in low-lying, flood-prone areas and in hillside neighborhoods prone to landslides.

All in all, Iota drenched most of Nicaragua and Honduras and large parts of Guatemala; it also caused flooding even in Panama and Costa Rica.

“The whole Sula Valley is destroyed. Three satellite cities….are completely covered by water and thousands and thousands of people left homeless. Our already fragile economy [is] gone and it will take years to recover, if it ever happens,” wrote a Direct Relief partner based in Honduras.

Governments have opened over 1,000 shelters for evacuees across the most affected areas. However, accessing basic commodities, such as food, clean drinking water, basic medicines, and masks for Covid-19 protection, has proven difficult. As roads and even major highways remain flooded, supply chains to shelters and isolated communities are heavily compromised.

Direct Relief has received requests for support from Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Colombia as governments, NGOs, and emergency medical teams work to respond to the needs of displaced communities. The organization is in the process of preparing two additional shipments, both containing emergency medical kits, to be sent to the Colombian island of Providencia and to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

In addition, Direct Relief is providing emergency operating grants to two long-term partners in Honduras, Proyecto Aldea Global and Siempre Unidos, both of which are working tirelessly to meet medical needs in their communities.

The organization will continue to monitor the impact from Hurricanes Eta and Iota and respond as needed.

The post Two Weeks After Hurricane Eta, Iota Devastates Central America appeared first on Direct Relief.

In late December, the World Health Organization was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia detected in Wuhan City, in the Hubei Province of China. Soon after that, the virus was identified by Chinese authorities as a Coronavirus, which can cause symptoms of a common cold or trigger serious diseases, like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The virus can be passed from human to human, and experts describe the Wuhan virus as a particularly aggressive strain, resulting in pneumonia, fevers, and general difficulty breathing. Organ failure has been documented in the most severe cases; however, most people that have contracted the virus have experienced only mild symptoms. There is no treatment or vaccine specific to this virus.

In response, Direct Relief is offering N95 masks and other personal protection equipment, such as gowns, goggles, and gloves, to approximately 25 health care partners in the state of Washington. Direct Relief has also contacted Washington State’s Public Health Department to offer assistance.

People suspected of carrying the virus are encouraged to wear an N95 mask to prevent airborne transmission, and health providers should also wear personal protective gear and an N95 mask if at risk, according to WHO guidelines.

The number of confirmed infections has tripled in the past week. The virus has spread to 13 provinces in China, and cases are confirmed in Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and now in Washington state.

Modeling by WHO experts suggest there could be 4,000 cases, with uncertainty putting the margins between 1,000 and 9,700. The actual number of people that have contracted the virus is difficult to land on, as people with mild symptoms may not be detected at all, but are still highly contagious.

Concern is heightened as many in China prepare to travel for Lunar New Year celebrations across the country begins on Friday, Jan. 24. Travel around the country’s holiday is the biggest human migration on the planet, and international airports have been implementing special screening measures to detect passengers traveling from the impacted countries with fevers.

Direct Relief is coordinating with health officials at the state, national and international level to determine needs and is monitoring the situation as it unfolds.

The post As Authorities Work to Contain Coronavirus, Direct Relief Prepares to Assist appeared first on Direct Relief.

Based on the storm strength and the affected population in the forecast path, Willa could potentially have a high humanitarian impact. Tailing close behind is Tropic Storm Vicente, flooding from which has already resulted in 12 deaths in Oaxaca state from flooding and mudslides. Direct Relief is in contact with COPAC, Mexico’s central emergency operations center, and has begun to evaluate needs and response strategies. COPAC has deployed level 1 and 2 emergency medical units to the states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa in preparation for Willa’s landfall Tuesday morning. Mexico’s government is not requesting international assistance at this time.

Socio-Environmental Vulnerability

Sinaloa, Nayarit and Jalisco, the three states projected to experience the largest impact from the approaching storm, have moderate poverty indicators, with 30 to 50 percent of their populations living under the poverty line as defined by Mexico’s federal demographic parameters. Communities with substandard housing in low-lying areas, particularly those in flood zones or vulnerable to storm surge, are the communities of focus for evacuation and relief preparations.

In the case that Direct Relief’s assistance is needed, staff in Mexico are well positioned to activate a swift response. Direct Relief is a Mexican-registered NGO with ample, medical grade storage space, and working relationships with the National Ministry of Health, COPAC and the Pan American Health Organization.

Direct Relief played a crucial role in response efforts to the two large earthquakes that hit Mexico City and Oaxaca in September of 2017, mobilizing $3 million worth of specifically requested emergency medical resources through 21 shipments to multiple healthcare facilities in five states.

The post Mexico’s Western States Brace for Hurricane Willa appeared first on Direct Relief.

Direct Relief is currently coordinating with the Pan American Health Organization, local partners, and pharmaceutical companies with manufacturing capacity in the region.

Direct Relief is working with local partners, including Nuestros Ahijados, Presbiterio Kaqchikel, and Fundación Proemigrant, which are all responding to needs of those displaced and injured by the volcanic eruption.

Prior to Sunday’s blast, medicines and other critical supplies had been staged for emergency response, and medical staff had immediate access to that inventory.

In times of emergency, people forced to flee their homes are often left without access to the medications they need to manage chronic conditions, like diabetes or heart disease. Direct Relief has been sending regular shipments of essential medicines to Guatemala for over 30 years, and the current supply of these medicines is being used to meet the medical needs of those displaced.

As the volcano disaster response transitions from the emergency to the recovery phase, Direct Relief will work closely with local partners to ensure they have what they need to continue providing health care to affected communities.

Guatemala has a history of significant natural disasters, including other volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, and officials report that Sunday’s explosion is Fuego’s most devastating in over 40 years.
Direct Relief is funding the purchase of equipment for first responders, as well as sending other supplies needed to care for thousands of displaced people in the region.

The post Response Continues in Guatemala Following Deadly Volcano Blast appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipment contains critical supplies like antibiotics, IV solutions, and essential medicines to manage chronic health conditions.

The Colombian military has confirmed that over 260 people are dead and more than 100 are missing after torrential rains on Friday caused a mudslide that decimated the town of Mocoa in southwestern Colombia.

Rescue efforts are ongoing and President Juan Manuel Santos has declared a state of emergency.

Access to the region remains compromised, with roads and bridges washed out from the deluge. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes in the aftermath, and those requiring medical attention face limited access to care since regional health centers have been damaged. The supply lines for basic necessities have been severed.

Direct Relief’s Response

Hours after flood waters swept through the town, Direct Relief began to coordinate emergency shipment details with the national and regional Ministries of Health (MOH), la Orden de Malta Colombiana, and local emergency response partner, Patrulla Aerea Civil Colombiana (PAC).

Comprised of highly skilled doctors, surgeons and pilots, PAC is an official part of Colombia’s national emergency response program. Members of PAC are currently responding to the flood disaster in Peru and have been requested to return to Colombia to assist with medical triage and onsite surgical services in Mocoa. Direct Relief has worked with PAC during previous emergencies, including the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Ecuador in 2016 and during Peru’s ongoing flooding.

After serious flooding, water sources become compromised, which can lead to a host of health issues. Cholera and other diseases related to poor sanitation can become a serious public health concern in the aftermath of such disasters. People living in the area also face a host of neglected tropical diseases, including trachoma, soil-transmitted pathogens, and various bacterial and parasitic infections. Direct Relief is sending antibiotics, antivirals, rehydration supplies and hygiene kits.

Direct Relief’s in-country partners have also reported an outbreak of varicella, a virus that causes chicken pox and shingles, and can be deadly to elderly people and those with compromised immune systems. Included in the most recent shipment are doses of Acyclovir, an antiviral donated by Teva. The drug reduces the ability of the virus to replicate, limiting disease transmission and allowing the body to heal and recover.

Direct Relief will be shipping additional emergency supplies to PAC in the coming days.  The organization has also made its entire inventory available to the country’s ministry of health.

The post Emergency Medical Aid En Route to Colombia Following Flooding, Landslide appeared first on Direct Relief.