Direct Relief is preparing a shipment of medicines and medical supplies to help treat people in Peru suffering from a severe cold wave that has hit at least ten districts of the country, causing the government to declare a state of emergency.

The shipment will support a team of doctors from the Peruvian American Medical Society, who are traveling to one of affected areas of the nation.

Supplies include oral antibiotics and eye medicines, as respiratory infections – including pneumonia – and eye infections are a serious health concern, according to disaster reports.

The low temperatures – hitting -15 degrees Celsius or 5 degrees Fahrenheit – are coupled with the heaviest snowfall to hit Peru in a decade and are predicted to continue until the end of September.

Already, the weather event has affected thousands of people and killed tens of thousands of livestock, leaving many farmers destitute.

Direct Relief’s Emergency Response Team continues to monitor health-related needs and reach out to other partners in the area.

Please follow our Twitter account @DirectRelief for the latest updates on this response.