Staff Reporter
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
Cholera is an extremely virulent disease that can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea and vomiting that can turn into life-threatening dehydration. It takes between 12 hours and 5 days for a person to show symptoms after ingesting contaminated food or water.
Cholera infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can be severe. Approximately 1 in 10 people who get sick with cholera will develop severe symptoms such as watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. In these people, rapid loss of body fluids leads to dehydration and shock.
Cholera affects both children and adults and can kill within hours if untreated.
Cholera is prone to places where there is poor hygiene and sanitation. This is a clarion call to the Citizens of Zimbabwe to control the spread of cholera. Citizens are urged to improve sanitation, hygiene and adhering to measures of preventing the rapid spread of the disease.
Acute infection with severe dehydration is treated with ORT and antibiotics to produce synergistic efficacy. Effective antibiotics to treat cholera are doxycycline, azithromycin, and tetracycline.
The City Councils have an important role to play in mitigating the spread of cholera. City Council must ensure that there is continuous water supply.
Zimbabwe is one of the 14 countries that have reported cholera outbreaks and with urgency, the Ministry of Health has come out with some awareness campaigns and will soon introduce vaccines.
Positive Eye
