Cuba's cholera outbreak prompts Canadian health advisory

Cuba's cholera outbreak prompts Canadian health advisory
Prithi Yelaja, CBC News
Posted: Jul 12, 2012 2:16 PM ET

An outbreak of cholera in Cuba has prompted Canadian and European
agencies to issue health advisories to the Caribbean country, a popular
destination for tourists.

As of Thursday, 85 cases had been confirmed by Cuba's Ministry of
Health, which says the outbreak is "under control." Three elderly people
have died from the disease and cholera is suspected in two other cases,
according to NBC News.

"The Ministry of Public Health in Cuba has reported an increase in the
number of cases of illness with diarrhea in some areas of the country
due to high temperatures and heavy rainfall," said a notice posted on
the Canadian Public Health Agency's website.

"The risk to European travellers remains low, yet if the outbreak
spreads beyond this region, the risk should be reassessed," said a
notice on the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control.

Cuban officials said the outbreak is contained with Granma province,
with most cases being reported from the municipality of Manzanillo,
where people are being checked for symptoms before boarding buses and
trains out of town.

The death rate for those who receive proper treatment — most notably
rehydration salts — is less than one per cent, but can be 50 per cent or
higher for those who don't get treated.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is advising travellers to Cuba to
follow basic food safety precautions, including frequent hand-washing,
avoiding food from street vendors and drinking only boiled or bottled water.

It also directs travellers from Cuba who develop symptoms upon their
return to Canada to seek immediate medical attention.

What is cholera?

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio
cholerae. It is spread by drinking or eating contaminated water or food,
including undercooked or raw shellfish and fish. Most infected people do
not show its symptoms, which include:

Mild to moderate diarrhea with or without vomiting.
In more severe cases, frequent watery diarrhea that can lead to
severe dehydration and even death if not treated promptly.

Transmission

Eating undercooked or raw shellfish or fish.
Eating or drinking food or water contaminated by infected persons.
Exposure to feces of an infected person.


Food and water safety

Boil it, cook it, peel it or leave it!
Always wash your hands before eating and drinking. Use soap and
warm running water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Only eat food that has been well cooked and is still hot when
served. Avoid uncooked foods, especially shellfish and salads.
Drink and use ice only from purified water that has been boiled or
disinfected with chlorine or iodine, or commercially bottled water in
sealed containers. Carbonated drinks, including beer, are usually safe.
Brush your teeth with purified or bottled water.
Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
Avoid food from street vendors.
— Public Health Agency of Canada

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/07/12/cuba-cholera.html