"Cholera is an easily treatable disease. If left untreated, it can result in death."
KATHMANDU, AUGUST 2
Cholera has infected 23 people across the country, according to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division. Until July 27, ten people in Nepal had been infected with cholera, a highly contagious disease, but that number has now risen to 23.
Mukesh Paudel, section chief of the Epidemiology Outbreak Section, confirmed to the Himalayan Times that 23 people have been infected with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae as of today and that multi stakeholder collaboration is critical to controlling the infection outbreak.
Of the 23 infected, eight cases were reported in Kailali and 15 in the Kathmandu valley. "People should practise good hygiene and be cautious when eating outside in hotels or other public places, as there have been reports of flooding spreading the infection," he stated.
He further said that there is several misinformations going around, so it is very essential to be extra cautious with water sanitation and hygiene.
According to Department of Health Director Dr Yaduchanra Ghimire, who is in charge of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, three members of a family in Dhangadhi, Kailali-two infants and a 26-year-old mother-were infected with a cholera-causing bacterium.
Test results revealed that the water stored in a bucket at the family's home contained cholera bacteria. Ghimire stated that two people who had contact with the infected members of the family were being monitored for symptoms.
Ghimire stated that other occupants of the Lalitpur rehabilitation centre were being monitored. The Department of Health believes that cholera has not spread throughout the community because infected people in Lalitpur had little contact with outsiders. In Dhangadhi, the family had little interaction with others.
Ghimire said that multiple agencies, especially the Minister of Water Supply and the Consumers Committee, should work in tandem to make water sources and supply systems clean. He said the general public should also maintain cleanliness and hygiene to ward off the risk of cholera.
According to Ghimire, consumer committees that oversee local water reservoirs should also ensure that the water is clean and decontaminated. The Department of Health advises people to practise good hygiene in their homes and communities.
Cholera is an infection caused by bacteria. This leads to diarrhoea and dehydration.
This disease is easily treated. But if not treated, it can lead to death within a few hours.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines cholera as a "poverty disease." It primarily affects people who live in areas without clean water and basic sanitation.
According to WHO estimates, approximately 13 to 4 million cases of the disease occur each year, with 21,000 to 143,000 people dying worldwide. Cholera is caused by a bacteria called 'Vibrio cholerae'.
It produces toxins in the small intestine, causing the body to excrete a lot of water. This causes diarrhoea and, in severe cases, excessive sodium and fluid loss from the body.
Symptoms usually appear between 12 hours and five days after infection.
However, according to the WHO, more than 80 per cent of infected people do not exhibit symptoms.
Diarrhoea occurs in 20 to 30 percent of those who develop symptoms within a few days, and the body's water supply is severely depleted. If left untreated, it can result in death.
The following symptoms are associated with cholera:
Diarrhoea and white, loose stools
Being ill or feeling sick (vomiting for hours, especially early in the infection).
stomach ache
leg pain
Within hours of symptom onset, dehydration can range from mild to severe. Dehydration symptoms include tiredness, sunken eyes, dry mouth, extreme thirst, dry skin, urinary incontinence, low blood pressure, and an irregular heartbeat.
When the body's water content is low, the minerals in the blood are also depleted. This is known as 'electrolyte imbalance'. Cholera is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae.
Asymptomatic patients pose a high risk of infecting others because they can spread the bacteria through their stool for one to ten days after becoming infected.
According to the World Health Organization, cholera can be transmitted to oneself through an infected person's faeces or vomit. Aside from that, it is believed that bodies of cholera victims should be avoided.
Cholera is an easily treatable disease. The majority of people can be successfully treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS) when administered promptly. The WHO/UNICEF ORS standard sachet is dissolved in one litre of clean water. Adult patients may need up to 6 L of ORS on the first day to treat moderate dehydration.
"Cholera can be easily treated if patients are brought to the hospital on time, as there is ample evidence that suggests mortality could be reduced by more than 90%," Mukesh Paudle told THT.
