Cholera

WHAT IS CHOLERA?

When a germ, found in contaminated ‘untreated water’ enters a person’s
 body it results in a sickness known as Cholera.

HOW DOES THE CHOLERA GERM SPREAD?

• The most common spread of is through drinking contaminated water.
• This is followed by use of untreated water for household purposes e.g. to wash and cook food.
• By infecting anything touched if hands are not washed after every toilet visit.
• Contact with an infected person’s stools and/or contaminated clothing and bedding.
• Further contamination of water by washing contaminated items or throwing infected water back into main source e.g. river.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CHOLERA?

• Constant runny stomach, mostly painless but very watery.
• Muscle cramps, especially in the legs and arms.
• The skin feels cold and looks wrinkled
• The body loses water, natural salts and sugars because of diarrhoea and vomiting.  If these elements are not replaced, a person will dehydrate very quickly.
• Dehydration is very dangerous and could lead to coma and death within a few hours!

HOW CAN CHOLERA BE AVOIDED?

• Always drink only “treated water’ i.e. boiled or disinfected.

• Only eat food that is well cooked and eat it while it is still warm.   

• Only use ‘treated water’ to wash and cook fruit and vegetables before eating and where possible, avoid raw or unpeeled fruit and vegetables.    

• Do not wash in streams, rivers or dams – rather use facilities provided at Truck Stops.
• Wash your hands before and after working with food.
• Always wash your hands after using the toilet.

HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT DRINKING WATER IS SAFE:

Boil water for at least ten minutes and leave to cool before drinking
OR
Add 1 teaspoon of Jik or Javell to 25 litres of water.

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE WITH CHOLERA:

Mix one litre of clean, boiled water with 8 level teaspoons of sugar and ½ level teaspoon of salt.

Start to give them as much of this mixture as possible, at least two cups after each stool and seek professional medical attention immediately.