Awareness Campaign On Cholera Outbreaks

WHAT IS CHOLERA

Cholera is a sudden illness that happens when a person accidentally ingests (swallows) Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) bacteria. When the bacteria infect a person’s intestines, they can cause very bad diarrhea and dehydration.

These complications can sometimes lead to death.

The bacterial infection usually happens in places without modern systems for sewage and clean water

Cholera outbreaks are common in warm climates. Outbreaks sometimes happen after natural disasters, like earthquakes and hurricanes. These disasters can damage sewage systems.

Symptoms and Causes

Cholera comes from the V. cholerae bacteria. People infected with these bacteria can spread disease through their feces. They do so when infected feces get into the water system. If the water isn’t properly sanitized  people using the water to drink, cook and wash risk exposure.

When a person eats or drinks food or water that contains V. cholerae, the bacteria grow inside them. The bacteria then make the small intestines secrete (leak) fluid, leading to diarrhea.

Cholera usually doesn’t spread directly from person to person, but it can. So it’s very important to wash your hands to prevent infection.

Some people have gotten cholera from eating seafood.

Symptoms of Cholera

Cholera infection can be mild, with no symptoms. But about 10% of infected people develop severe symptoms, 12 hours to five days after ingesting the bacteria. These symptoms include:

• Diarrhea, or extremely watery poop.
• Intense thirst.
• Lower amounts of urine
• Muscle cramps.
• Restlessness or irritability.
• Vomiting.
• Weakness.

If you develop any of these cholera symptoms, immediately contact a hospital because dehydration can become deadly very quickly.

Early treatment can save your life.

What problems can cholera cause?

Diarrhea and vomiting from cholera can make your body lose large amounts of important substances:

• Electrolytes.
• Fluids.
• Sodium.
• Potassium.

When your body doesn’t have enough of those things, you get dehydrated and may develop the following:

• Dry mucous membranes (such as in the eyes, nose and mouth).
• Fast heart rate.
• Hypokalemia (low potassium levels in the blood).
• Hypotension (low blood pressure).
• Loss of the natural stretchiness in skin.
• Untreated, severe dehydration from cholera can lead to:
• Kidney failure.
• Shock.

Anyone with cholera should immediately replace the fluids and salts they’ve lost.

If you’re in an area with cholera cases, certain strategies can help prevent infections:

• Use clean, running water only
• Don’t eat raw or undercooked seafood.
• Drink water only if it’s bottled, canned, boiled or treated with certain chemicals. And don’t drink out of a bottle or can with a broken seal.
• Make sure foods eaten are freshly, hygienically cooked and served hot.
• Consider disinfecting your water: Boil it for at least one minute.
• Wash fruits and vegetables with clean water.

Wash your hands with soap and clean running water, especially before handling and eating food and after using the bathroom. If clean water and soap aren’t available, use hand sanitizer made of at least 60% alcohol.

Wash your hands often.

Together we can end the scourge of cholera in our communities

MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS & SOCIAL INCLUSION