Cholera is sweeping Africa, with infections and deaths worsening

Written By ندى ماهر عبدربه on 2024/01/16

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.

Weather of Arabia - A cholera epidemic broke out in Zambia, resulting in the death of hundreds of citizens and the injury of thousands of others. In the face of the tragedy, gatherings of relatives of those being treated for the disease were held outside a stadium in the capital, Lukasa, where they were waiting for any information about the condition of their family members.

Nabel Nyirunga, who spoke about his grandmother, indicated that they were hoping for her to leave the hospital safely, but unfortunately, they made the mistake of announcing her death. The country’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Masebo, visited the center where the injured were being treated, and expressed her sympathy for those affected, advising at the time The same by not having relatives attend the funerals of the deceased; Due to the continuing spread of the cholera epidemic.

What is cholera?

Cholera is an acute, contagious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is transmitted through ingestion of food or water contaminated with it. The disease is characterized by symptoms that include severe diarrhea that can lead to dehydration, and in some cases it may be fatal if not treated.

The spread of cholera

Cholera spreads mainly in areas suffering from wars, epidemics, and famines, where it is concentrated in India, South Africa, and Latin America, and spreads to all parts of the world.

Cholera incubation

The incubation period of cholera ranges from 2 to 6 days, and it is treated with intravenous fluids with the addition of potassium to replace alkaloids lost due to associated diarrhea, and the patient is given antibiotics.

Cholera symptoms

Cholera symptoms appear suddenly and include severe and persistent watery diarrhea and dehydration that can lead to loss of mineral salts and may be accompanied by severe vomiting, painful muscle cramps, decreased urine secretion, and general collapse.

Cholera prevention

Prevention includes avoiding drinking contaminated water and eating washed foods. It is also recommended to get the cholera vaccine and implement quarantine when moving from infected areas to cholera-free countries.

Methods of Treatment

Treatment methods include changing the water balance by giving fluids orally or intravenously, using antibiotics such as doxycycline, and it is also preferable to take zinc supplements to reduce the duration of diarrhea.