Cholera: what hygiene measures should be followed to avoid infection?

Very disturbing news. The cholera epidemic currently ravaging Mayotte has caused the first death, a three-year-old child in the commune of Cungou reported this Wednesday, the prefecture and the Regional Health Agency.

Cholera, a disease of underdevelopment and extreme poverty, is a bacterial infection that can cause acute diarrhea and lead to death from dehydration within one to three days. It is caused by eating food or water contaminated with bacteria called Vibrio cholerae or Vibrio cholerae.

Improving access to drinking water and general hygiene measures are essential in the fight against cholera. This is why, despite government recommendations to prevent cholera, the poorest people, especially those without access to drinking water, continue to have difficulty protecting themselves from it.

Drink from sealed water bottles

However, health authorities are providing some advice to reduce the risk of cholera infection, especially for tourists traveling to areas where cases of the disease have been confirmed.

For example, it is recommended to drink water from sealed bottles. In contrast, drinking untreated piped water or even drinks sold in glasses with ice cubes is not without risk. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reminds us that it is also important to use safe water when brushing your teeth, bathing, washing dishes, or even preparing food.

To ensure water is safe, it should be brought to a boil for at least one minute or treated with chlorine or bleach before storing in a closed container.

Eat well cooked food

When it comes to food, the CDC reminds you to cook food thoroughly and eat it hot before it gets cold. It is also advisable to avoid raw food. Only eat fruits and vegetables that have been washed in safe water and peeled.

If, as with any infection, it is necessary to wash your hands with soap, this should be done with safe water or hydroalcoholic gel. People are asked to wash their hands before eating, before preparing food, before feeding children, after using the toilet, after changing or drying a child, and after caring for someone with diarrhea.

Because diarrheal stool produced in large quantities causes the spread of bacilli in the environment and fecal-oral transmission, toilets or other sanitation systems must be used to dispose of feces. For people who do not have a toilet, the CDC advises defecating away from any water source and burying stool at least 50 cm deep.