The ongoing cholera outbreak in Nigeria is a stark reminder that the country has not yet eradicated this preventable disease. Cholera, a severe illness causing diarrhea, is rampant in unsanitary areas and remains one of the most prevalent diseases affecting Nigerians.
Cholera is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacteria and is contracted through the consumption of contaminated water or food. Without prompt treatment, cholera can lead to severe dehydration and even death.
While cholera outbreaks can be managed, they pose a serious public health risk, especially in communities with poor access to clean water and sanitation.
Pathwaynews brings you six crucial facts about the current cholera outbreak:
- Nature of the Disease: Cholera is a life-threatening infectious illness caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria. It is primarily spread by consuming food or water contaminated with feces from an infected person. Common sources of infection include raw vegetables, seafood, unwashed fruits, tap water, and street food. Direct human-to-human contact can also spread the disease.
- High-Risk Areas: Cholera spreads rapidly in densely populated regions with poor hygiene and sanitation and limited access to clean water and toilets. These areas include refugee camps, informal settlements, and peri-urban slums lacking essential infrastructure.
- Symptoms: Symptoms range from nausea and severe acute watery diarrhea to vomiting. Other signs include low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance, muscle cramps, and elevated heart rate. Symptoms can appear within 12 hours to five days after infection. While many people exhibit mild symptoms, they can still transmit the disease. Severe cases involve rapid dehydration, with patients losing up to 15 liters of water daily.
- Treatment: Most cholera cases can be treated with oral rehydration salts (ORS). ORS, a salt-sugar solution, is diluted in one liter of clean water and consumed up to six times daily by adults. This treatment can often be administered at home without hospitalization.
- Severe Cases: In extreme situations, cholera can lead to shock and death within hours without effective care. Such cases require immediate intravenous fluid replacement and antibiotic therapy.
- Prevention: The best way to prevent cholera is to ensure access to clean drinking water and improve hygiene and sanitation standards.
