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Cases are again on the rise
- After decades of progress against cholera, cases are again on the rise, even in countries that had not seen the disease in years. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, often from faeces. With safe water and sanitation, cholera can be prevented.
www.who.int › emergencies › situationsCholera upsurge (2021-present) - World Health Organization (WHO)
- Key Facts
- Overview
- Symptoms
- History
- Vibrio cholerae Strains
- Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Disease Burden
- Prevention and Control
- Surveillance
- Water and Sanitation Interventions
- Treatment
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated.Cholera is a disease of poverty affecting people with inadequate access to safe water and basic sanitation.Conflict, unplanned urbanization and climate change all increase the risk of cholera.Researchers have estimated that each year there are 1.3 to 4.0 million cases of cholera, and 21 000 to 143 000 deaths worldwide due to cholera (1).Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Cholera is an extremely virulent disease transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water (2). Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated. Most people infected with V. cholerae do not develop any symptoms, although the bacteria are present in their faece...
During the 19th century, cholera spread across the world from its original reservoir in the Ganges delta in India. Six subsequent pandemics killed millions of people across all continents. The current (seventh) pandemic started in South Asia in 1961, reached Africa in 1971 and the Americas in 1991. Cholera is now endemic in many countries.
There are many serogroups of V. cholerae, but only two – O1 and O139 – cause outbreaks. V. cholerae O1 has caused all recent outbreaks. V. choleraeO139 – first identified in Bangladesh in 1992 – caused outbreaks in the past, but recently has only been identified in sporadic cases. It has never been identified outside Asia. There is no difference in...
Cholera can be endemic or epidemic. A cholera-endemic area is an area where confirmed cholera cases were detected during the last 3 years with evidence of local transmission (meaning the cases are not imported from elsewhere). A cholera outbreak/epidemic can occur in both endemic countries and in countries where cholera does not regularly occur. Ch...
A multifaceted approach is key to control cholera, and to reduce deaths. A combination of surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene, social mobilization, treatment, and oral cholera vaccines are used.
Cholera surveillance should be part of an integrated disease surveillance system that includes feedback at the local level and information-sharing at the global level. The detection of a suspected cholera case is based on clinical suspicion in patients aged two years and older with acute watery diarrhoea and severe dehydration or dying from acute w...
The long-term solution for cholera control lies in economic development and universal access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Actions targeting environmental conditions include the implementation of adapted long-term sustainable WASH solutions to ensure use of safe water and basic sanitation and good hygiene practices. In addition to ch...
Cholera is an easily treatable disease. The majority of people can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS). The WHO/UNICEF ORS standard sachet is dissolved in 1 litre (L) of clean water. Adult patients may require up to 6 L of ORS to treat moderate dehydration on the first day. Severely dehydrated pa...
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Nov 30, 2022 · Despite being easily treatable with rehydration solution, cholera remains a global threat due to its high morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations with a lack of access to adequate health care. Seven distinct pandemics of cholera have been recorded during the past two centuries.
Sep 11, 2024 · The cholera outbreaks spreading across the globe are becoming more deadly. Deaths from the diarrheal disease soared last year, far outpacing the increase in cases, according to a new analysis by...
Jun 11, 2024 · In 2024, nobody needs to die because of cholera. We have already eradicated it in many countries. After major outbreaks in the 19th century, Europe and North America have eliminated cholera by improving water and sanitation infrastructure. We can easily treat cholera.
Jun 20, 2024 · The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start...
As of 1 February 2023, at least 18 countries continue to report cholera cases (Table 1 A & B). As according to the seasonality patterns large parts of the world are in currently in low or interepidemic transmission period this number could increase in the months to come.
May 19, 2023 · The UN health agency estimates that one billion people in 43 countries are at risk of cholera with children under five particularly vulnerable. Cholera’s extraordinarily high mortality ratio is...
