Hello doctor: Is cholera dangerous? How to prevent it?

'I read that cholera is getting more and more complicated globally with a high mortality rate. I am quite worried, not knowing how dangerous cholera is and what to do to prevent it, doctor' (Van Minh, 35 years old, in Ho Chi Minh City).

Specialist Doctor 1 Dinh Hoang Trung, Department of Internal Medicine, South Saigon International General Hospital, explains that cholera is an acute infectious disease, mainly manifested by severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and acute electrolyte disturbances. If not treated promptly, the disease can cause severe shock and death within a few hours.

The causative agent is bacteria. Vibrio cholerae (cholera bacteria), transmitted mainly through the digestive tract. Cholera bacteria are often found in the feces of sick people, polluted environments such as ponds or dirty food. The bacteria also parasitize aquatic plankton such as seaweed, algae and are especially common in crustaceans such as shrimp, crab, clams, snails, mussels - which are foods used by many people every day. When we eat this type of food, the bacteria can enter the body through the digestive tract.

Another worrying point is that up to 75% of people infected with cholera have no symptoms. However, within 7-14 days, they still excrete bacteria into the environment. It is these "silent carriers" that cause cholera to spread rapidly and become a large epidemic if not well controlled.

Doctor examining a patient - Photo: BVCC

Global cholera context and risks in Vietnam

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from the beginning of the year to August 29, the world has recorded 409,222 cases of cholera, including 4,738 deaths in 31 countries. Compared to the same period last year, the number of cases decreased by 20% but the number of deaths increased by 46%.

You don't need to worry too much because Vietnam has not recorded any cholera cases in the past 10 years. However, WHO warns that the risk of spreading between countries is very high due to the scale and severity of the outbreaks. If just one case enters but is not strictly controlled, the possibility of spreading to the community is entirely possible. Therefore, do not be subjective but proactively take disease prevention measures right now.

3 recommendations to help you prevent cholera

According to Dr. Trung, in the context of the complicated global cholera epidemic, each person is not only responsible for protecting the health of themselves and their families but also plays an important role in preventing the risk of spreading in the community. Therefore, strictly following the instructions of health authorities is necessary. Especially the following 3 important recommendations that people need to seriously implement.

Monitor your health after returning from an epidemic area. When returning from a country or area with a cholera epidemic, you need to actively monitor your health for at least 5 days. If any symptoms such as severe vomiting, severe diarrhea, rapid dehydration, fatigue, etc. appear, you need to go to the nearest medical facility for examination, consultation and timely treatment.

Wash your hands with soap regularly before eating, after using the toilet, before and after preparing food - PHOTO: TH

Maintain personal hygiene - environment - food. Wash your hands with soap before eating, after using the toilet, before and after preparing food. Eat cooked food, drink boiled water, prioritize using clean, treated water. Protect domestic water sources, do not let them be polluted by garbage or domestic wastewater. Maintain a clean living environment: Collect garbage, dispose of waste hygienically, kill flies and insects that can carry pathogens. When there are signs of abnormal health, do not self-treat at home, go to the hospital for proper diagnosis and safe treatment.

Prevent disease when traveling or working in epidemic areas. Do not use street food, raw seafood or food of unknown origin to limit the risk of infection. Always maintain personal hygiene, carry hand sanitizer for use in conditions of lack of clean water. If there are suspicious symptoms (severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration), immediately notify local health authorities for timely support, avoiding spreading to the community.

Being proactive in maintaining hygiene, eating safely and following the instructions of health authorities is the best way to protect your family, as well as contribute to preventing the risk of disease spreading in the community.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/alo-bac-si-nghe-benh-ta-co-nguy-hiem-khong-phong-ngua-ra-sao-185250915170108526.htm