41 cases of cholera have been recognized by the Algerian authorities. There had been none since 1996 in the country.
More than twenty years after the last recorded case, cholera is hitting Algeria again. Since 1996, no one had contracted the disease, and the last epidemic dates back to 1986 (it had killed 4,500). This time, the Ministry of Health has recognized 41 cases and one death, and says the situation is under control.
More than 40 confirmed cases: Concern after the spread of cholera https://t.co/Kf5AXCQ88m https://t.co/yG8de1LNpW
– El Watan (@elwatan_com) Aug 24, 2018
A situation under control according to the authorities
According to the Algerian authorities, the cholera cases are limited to a few families, and the situation is under control. The government is ruling out water contamination. People are said to have fallen ill from eating poorly washed food. According to Radio France Internationale, Algerian media and social networks suspect the authorities of having hidden information on the epidemic: until August 23, they claimed that the sick people were suffering from gastroenteritis, while they had been installed in blocks isolated.
Dehydration which can be fatal
The World Health Organization explains on its site that cholera is “an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of water or food contaminated by the bacillus Vibrio cholerae “. It is very rare that the contamination is done person to person. The disease causes profuse and painless diarrhea, which can lead to fatal dehydration if treatment is not given on time. To avoid it, it is recommended in particular to wash your hands well, to avoid raw food, to boil the water or to treat it before consuming it.
Other cases in Africa
DRC: a new peak in the cholera epidemic https://t.co/9JFqTA78aX pic.twitter.com/vhDL6kcoMS
– RFI (@RFI) June 18, 2018
In Niger, a cholera epidemic killed 22 people this summer, according to BBC Africa.1300 cases were recorded in two months. According to Doctors Without Borders, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, cholera is endemic in six regions. Since June 2017, the disease has affected more than 24,000 people and killed more than 500. According to the Pasteur InstituteAfrica accounts for between 95 and 99% of cholera cases in the world.
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