Cholera The outbreak in Nigeria has resulted in the death of 378 people, up from 359 earlier. A senior public health official said more than 14,000 cases of cholera have been reported in the country since January. As of October 13, at least 14,237 suspected cases were reported in 35 out of 36 states, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking to journalists, Jide Idris, head of the Nigeria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), said, “Cholera remains a significant public health challenge, especially in states affected by floods and poor water and sanitation infrastructure.”

He said the five northern states of Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe and Kano have been identified as the epicenter of the outbreak. NCDC has deployed rapid response teams to affected areas and conducted reactive cholera vaccination in internally displaced persons camps to combat the outbreak.

What is Cholera?

Cholera is an infection caused by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Researchers say there are approximately 1.3 to 4.0 million cases of cholera and 21,000 to 143,000 deaths due to the infection worldwide each year.

It can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration and can be fatal if not treated. The World Health Organization (WHO) says it takes 12 hours to 5 days for a person to show symptoms after consuming contaminated food or water. “Cholera affects both children and adults and can cause death within hours if not treated.”

Most people infected with Vibrio cholerae do not develop any symptoms, although the bacteria remain present in their stool for 1–10 days after infection. This means that the bacteria are released back into the environment, infecting other people.

symptoms of cholera

Some common symptoms of cholera include:

• Diarrhea: Cholera-related diarrhea will occur suddenly and may lead to rapid fluid loss.
• nausea and vomiting: Vomiting occurs especially in the early stages of cholera and can persist for hours.
• Dehydration: Dehydration may develop within hours of this symptoms of cholera Beginning and ranging from mild to severe.
• Irritability, fatigue, sunken eyes, dry mouth, excessive thirst, dry and shriveled skin.

Dehydration can cause electrolyte imbalance which can cause the following symptoms.

• muscle cramps: This happens when your body starts losing salt rapidly.
• trauma: This is one of the most serious complications of dehydration. This happens when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body.

prevention of cholera

Here are some ways to prevent cholera, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

• Avoid tap water, water fountains and ice cubes. This caution applies to the water you drink and the water you use for washing dishes, preparing food, and brushing your teeth.
• Do not eat raw or undercooked seafood.
• Drink water only if it is bottled, canned, boiled or treated with certain chemicals. And don’t drink from a bottle or can with a broken seal.
• Eat pre-packaged foods or make sure other foods are freshly cooked and served hot.
• Consider disinfecting your water. Boil it for at least a minute and add half an iodine tablet or two drops of household bleach to every liter of water. You can also use chlorine tablets.
• Wash fruits and vegetables with clean water.
• Wash your hands with soap and clean water, especially after handling or eating food and after using the bathroom. You can also use hand sanitizer made with at least 60% alcohol.

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