Cholera Outbreak: What You Need to Know About the Bacteria
With the Cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, scores of people have been reported to have been hospitalised while 15 people have been confirmed dead so far. There have been concerns that the outbreak, if left unabated, could spread and turn into a pandemic in South Africa.
There’s widespread condemnation of Tshwane leadership on Twitter, with many citing the infamous “R295m tender” which was supposedly misused when it was meant for the maintenance of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant. Now with cholera having broken out, Tshwane has urged residents to avoid tap water.
What is Cholera?
According to the World Health Organization (link), Cholera “is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.”
What are the key symptoms to watch out for?
The following symptoms of cholera are taken from the findings of the Mayo Clinic (link):
• Diarrhea: Cholera-related diarrhoea comes on suddenly and can quickly cause dangerous fluid loss — as much as a about 1 litre an hour. Diarrhoea, due to cholera, often has a pale, milky appearance that resembles water in which rice has been rinsed.
• Nausea and vomiting: Vomiting occurs especially in the early stages of cholera and can last for hours.
• Dehydration: Dehydration can develop within hours after cholera symptoms start and range from mild to severe. A loss of 10% or more of body weight indicates severe dehydration.
• Muscle cramps: These result from the rapid loss of salts such as sodium, chloride and potassium (caused by electrolyte imbalance).
• Shock: This is one of the most serious complications of dehydration. It occurs when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body. If untreated, severe hypovolemic shock can cause death in minutes. (Also caused by electrolyte imbalance).
It is highly advised that one seeks medical attention if these symptoms persist.