Cholera is a highly contagious disease that is spread by drinking contaminated food and water. The bacteria that is responsible for the spread of cholera is found in the faeces of infected people. When the infected faeces gets into a water source and the water is drank or used to prepare food, one gets infected and the disease continues to spread. It cannot be spread through direct contact with an infected person.
The Government should take concrete steps in stopping the spread of cholera
Symptoms
- Diarrhea that looks like rice water
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dehydration due to loss of body fluids from diarrhea and vomiting.
If you have any of these symptoms, head to the nearest health facility immediately. Do not delay as cholera is deadly and can kill in a matter of hours.
Prevention
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after visiting the toilet, before preparing meals, and before eating
- Use a toilet or pit latrine when when pooping to prevent contamination of food and water sources by faeces infected with cholera
- Thoroughly wash fruit and vegetables before cooking and eating
- Disinfect any material or clothes contaminated with faeces or vomit with the appropriate chemicals
- Use disinfectant to wash clothes and bedding used by cholera patients. Do not wash them in rivers or lakes as this will spread cholera
- Dispose faeces and vomit from every person in the toilet and flush it away. Faeces pose the greatest risk of transmitting cholera.
- Only drink clean water. Clean water is water that has been boiled or treated with the appropriate chemicals.
- Keep food covered at all times. Flies and dust can carry cholera bacteria and contaminate your food when it lands on it.
- If possible, only eat hot food.