People who do not live in or visit areas where sanitation is poor have almost no risk of getting cholera. Even for people who do live in or visit such areas, the risks are not great. Prevention of cholera is dependent on access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and basic hygiene needs.

The cholera germs are found in the faeces of infected persons, and are spread when the faeces gets into the water people drink or the food people eats. Cholera is not likely to spread directly from one person to another.

There are few basic steps that one can follow in preventing and protecting oneself, family from cholera and also for health service providers.

Protecting Oneself from Cholera

1. Drink and Use Safe Water: It is important to note that only safe water can be used to brush one’s teeth, wash and prepare food. Bottled water that has unbroken seals are also safe to drink. Also keeping all kitchen and home utensils clean by washing with soap and safe water, and let to dry completely before reuse.

Safe water includes water that has been treated with chlorine and boiled properly. Make sure water is kept in a clean and safe container.

2. Wash your hands often with soap and water before eating or preparing food. And also it is important to keep our hands washed after using the latrine or toilet, before feeding little children, and after taking care of someone who is ill with diarrhea.
3. For persons who do not have access to portable toilet, it is important using latrines or burying your faeces is better than defecting into open grounds, spring, streams or rivers. Also, it is quite important to clean latrines and its surfaces with disinfectant.
4. Food needs to be cooked and kept properly; eat it while it’s hot and peel your fruits and vegetables before consumption.
5. Individuals need to make sure that their environments are also tidied up (cleaned) every time, making sure that there is not room for still water around their environment

How Can Family Members Prevent Cholera?

• Drink and use safe water
• Cook food thoroughly
• Wash hands with soap and safe water after caring for patients, and especially after handling their fecal matter
• Remove and wash any bedding or clothing that may have had contact with diarrheal stool, preferably in a washing machine, in warm or hot water.
• Use household disinfectant or bleach solution to clean any area that may have contact with fecal matter, including the patient’s bedroom, as soon as possible after being soiled. If possible, use rubber gloves when cleaning any room or surface that may have had contact with a person with diarrhea
• Patients with diarrhea should not be allowed to swim while ill with diarrhea or for 2 weeks after resolution of symptoms.
• If any member of a family develops acute water diarrhea, administer Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and seek healthcare immediately.

Prevention by Healthcare Workers

• Healthcare workers should also take precautions while treating patients with cholera and preventing its spread.
• Hand washing with soap and clean water should be done before and after each patient contact If no water and soap are available, use an alcohol based hand cleaner.
• Visitors can be allowed if the ill person wants company; visitors should also observe had hygiene recommendations.
• Chlorine solutions can also be used as disinfectants in place of bleach.

[Next Week: Cholera Vaccination]