In case cholera breaks out around you
If you have been reading the news lately, you
must have learnt that there have been outbreaks of cholera in a state in the
South-West while many have been infected in the northern parts of the country.
In fact, since 1972, the country has, at one point or the other, battled
seasonal outbreaks of this water-borne disease.
Is cholera a disease you should worry about? Yes,
because it is an intestinal infection and could be scary, especially in children
whose antibodies are not yet strong enough to fight off the infection like
adults.
Worse still, among adults and kids alike, cholera
can lead to death in severe cases in less than 72 hours.
Most people get cholera from drinking impure
water or eating food contaminated with a type of bacteria called Vibrio
cholera.
According to experts on medicine.com, an
infected person will be excreting watery diarrhoea and vomiting frequently,
making people who have it get dehydrated quickly. When dehydration is severe, it
can cause serious health problems if it’s not treated. The person may develop
seizures and kidney failure. People who don’t get the proper medical treatment
may even die.
So, if you or someone in the family is
experiencing any of the symptoms aforementioned, physicians advise you to take
urgent steps in order to avert any loss of life.
A public health physician, Dr. Olarenwaju Ajayi,
says parents whose kids have been stooling or vomiting for more than 12 hours
should quickly apply zinc oral rehydration solution, which could save life if
they cannot reach the doctor immediately.
In the case of young children, Ajayi says,
mothers should continue to breastfeed them till they can get to a health
facility.
“The scientific explanation is that the baby is
losing water and antibodies. It is the breast milk that can replenish that till
you get them to the hospital where they can get specialised treatment. Most
babies die of cholera because they are dehydrated while they are stooling and
the care givers did not replace the water they lost.”
For the adults, Ajayi adds, there is no effective
remedy except to pay an immediate visit to the nearest health centre for
treatment, which may include the use of antibiotics and administration of drips,
depending on the severity of the infection.
He says, “You may not have to stay in the
hospital at all, as people who have mild-to-moderate cases usually get better
within a week. Even people with severe cases of cholera recover fully in a week
or so, if they get medical care.”
Scientists at the Centre For Diseases Prevention
and Control, United States of America, state that since people get cholera from
eating or drinking food or water that’s been contaminated with faeces, through
poor sanitary practices, those who may be visiting communities where cholera
outbreaks have been reported, or those living in households were access to good
drinking water is a luxury, may have to take these simple precautions to avoid
being infected with cholera.
Drink/use safe water
• While in the area, drink bottled water with
unbroken seals. Also, canned/bottled carbonated beverages are safe to drink and
use.
• Use safe water like sachet water to brush your
teeth, wash and prepare food, and to make ice.
• Clean food preparation areas and kitchenware
with soap and safe water and let them dry completely before reuse to avoid
contamination.
Check your water source
• To be sure water is safe to drink and use, boil
it or treat it with chlorine product or household bleach.
• Treat your water source with chlorine by using
one of the locally available treatment products and follow the instructions.
• If a chlorine treatment product is not
available or you cannot afford it, you can treat your water with household
bleach by adding eight drops of household bleach to every gallon of water (or
two drops of household bleach to every litre of water) and wait 30 minutes
before drinking.
• Always store treated water in a clean, covered
container.
Wash your hands often with soap and safe water
before you eat or prepare food, before feeding your children and after using the
toilet. Also, use clean water to clean up in the toilet.
Use latrines or bury your faeces (poop); do
not defecate in any body of water and wash hands with soap and safe water after
defecating
• Clean latrines and surfaces contaminated with
faeces using a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water.
• If you don’t have a latrine, defecate at least
30 meters away from any body of water and then bury your faeces.
• Dispose of plastic bags containing faeces in
latrines, at collection points if available, or bury them in the ground. Do not
put plastic bags in chemical toilets.
• Dig new latrines or temporary pit toilets at
least a half-meter deep and at least 30 meters away from any body of water.
Cook food well (especially seafood), keep it
covered, eat it hot, and peel fruits and vegetables yourself
• Avoid eating raw foods other than fruits and
vegetables you have peeled yourself.
• Clean up safely — in the kitchen and in places
where the family bathes and washes clothes.
• Very importantly, wash yourself, your children,
diapers and clothes 30 meters away from drinking water sources
| credits:
google.com
culled from Punch
Comments
Post a Comment