My Neighborhood Watch #57 - Reporting Events Around us

Cholera Outbreak in the Neighbourhood

In their monthly Epidemiological Report, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has put up a Cholera alert with statistics covering July 1 to July 7, 2024.

Tracking the Outbreak from April to July will show the seriousnessof the situation.

What are the numbers saying?

Through these numbers, the NCDC is saying that we are having an epidemic of Cholera, brewing on the loose in our neighbourhood, and just in the past four months, there have been up to 1,938 reported cases of Cholera, and in this short time, it has already claimed the lives of 48 persons..

Last week alone, there were reports from six states,
Lagos 102
Ebonyi 6
Niger 2
Oyo 2
Bauchi 2
Kogi 2

We are looking at a highly infectious bacterial disease, one that is caused by a bacteria known as Vibrio cholerae. When-once this bacteria gets into the belly, it mostly infests the person's small intestine, resulting in the body's attempt to flush it out with a lot of diarrhea and vomiting, a condition that could lead to dehydration and death if not treated immediately.

Mode of transmission.
Cholera typically spread through contaminated food and water, it is more dangerous where there is poor hygiene /sanitation. You will get infected if you should make any direct contact with an infected person's feces or vomit and from contaminated surfaces. Discaurage children from puting their hands in their mouth during this period.
You can not get Cholera from a mosquito bite or the coughing or sneezing of an infected person. After shaking hands, make sure you wash your hands very well with soap in running water. Let the kids wash their hands many times a day.

You can suspect Cholera, if the person is loosing a lot of body fluids through "sheet way dey rush like tap" often described as "rice-water stool". This condition is accompanied by vomiting, which results in dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

If left untreated, cholera can lead to very severe dehydration, organ failure and ultimately death within few hours or days. So once noticed, you will have to swiftly start with treatment.

Treatment.
Do not attempt to manage it yourselves, get help from a trained healthcare professional.

Preventive mesures
Preventive measures include having access to clean water and sanitation. Maintaining proper hygiene practices like handwashing. Practice food safety and Vaccination which is often given to travelers and high-risk groups, children from one year to five years.

^{Keep utensils clean, practice good hygiene}

Conclusion
Read more about cholera from The NCDC website and you can also get this week's NCDC update directly from here. One of the best ways to stay protected during an Outbreak like this is to stay informed. We wish this will quickly burn out and will not escalate in the comming days. Stay safe, stay protected.

I am inviting @bela90, @eliany and @dequeen to discuss this health challage in our neighbourhood.