As rain continues to fall on an already ravaged Pakistan and official death count continues to rise, UN officials now warn of a “second wave of death” from water-borne diseases. The country’s water source has been badly contaminated by the flooding and in the absence of clean water, victims, especially children, are at increased risk of contracting water-borne illnesses such as cholera, diarrhea, and dysentery. Reports have already come in detailing deaths due to diarrheal diseases, not to mention the countless case reports of acute respiratory infection and skin diseases. WHO estimates that 3.5 million children are at risk of diseases and projects that up to 1.5 million cases of diarrheal disease could occur over the next 3 months.
