How can cholera be avoided

If you live in or are visiting an area where cholera is occurring or has occurred, be aware of basic cholera facts and follow the five cholera prevention tips listed below. These tips will help you protect yourself and your family. To prevent cholera, you should wash your hands often and take precautions to ensure your food and water are safe for use.

The risk for cholera is very low for people visiting areas with epidemic cholera when these simple steps are followed:. Vaxchora is recommended to prevent infection in adults who are 18 — 64 years old and are traveling to an area of active cholera transmission with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 the bacteria strain that most commonly causes cholera.

For more information, please visit the cholera vaccines page. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Check if you could be at risk of cholera You can catch cholera from: drinking unclean water eating food particularly shellfish that's been in unclean water eating food that's been handled by an infected person The risk of getting it while travelling is very small.

Information: You can check the country information on the TravelHealthPro website. Do wash your hands with soap and water regularly, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food or eating only drink tap water that's been boiled or bottled water brush your teeth using bottled or boiled water.

Information: If you need the cholera vaccine, you may be able to get it for free on the NHS. Urgent advice: See a doctor if:. Select the best way to disseminate messages to the community. Communicate messages through mass media such as radio, TV, press releases, social media, SMS , small media including leaflets, posters, caps, T-shirts, songs , interpersonal communication for example, briefing sessions with community or religious leaders and talks in places where people usually gather, such as healthcare facilities, hairdressers, churches, mosques, transport hubs, markets.

Adapt messages to target groups such as males, females, adolescents, people who are illiterate and give them in the local language. This type of messaging should be part of multisectoral approach targeting areas reporting high numbers of patients. Cholera Toolkit Annex 7B, 7D and 7E.

Hygiene promotion in emergencies. Geneva: WHO; Access to Safe Water Access to safe drinking water for the affected population is essential to reduce the spread of the disease in the community. When possible, also provide access to safe drinking water in the unaffected areas that are at high risk for cholera. Even if the drinking water source is safe, water can easily be contaminated during its collection, transportation and storage in the household.

A safe water intervention should therefore begin with an improved water source and be followed by safe water collection, handling and storage. Analysis of the context will determine the best method for water treatment at the source or at point of use. Selection of the water treatment method such as filtration, disinfection, chlorination will depend on the resources and techniques available and the parameters physical and microbiological of the water to be treated.

Combining treatments used together, either simultaneously or sequentially will increase the effectiveness. In high-turbid water, a pre-treatment sedimentation, flocculation or coagulation might be necessary to remove suspended particles and reduce turbidity before disinfection or chlorination. Turbidity levels can be tested with a turbidity tube. If water is chlorinated, regularly monitor FRC levels and maintain the appropriate level by adapting the dosing and frequency of chlorination as necessary.

The optimal pH range in which chlorine is effective is 6. FRC levels and pH can be tested with a photometer or colorimeter commonly known as a pool tester. When the quality of water at the source cannot be guaranteed, a treatment process is needed to disinfect the water at point of use at the tap, vessels or storage containers. Various methods of household water treatment are available, including: boiling, disinfection, chlorination and filtration.

If household water treatment products are promoted, ensure that households understand the water treatment techniques and the residual effect of chlorine if used. To facilitate the correct preparation of household water treatment products, ensure that households have appropriately sized water containers, preferably closed and narrow-mouthed. Ensure that households are involved in water quality monitoring programmes when chlorine is used for household water treatment.

Safe water collection, transport, handling and storage also need to be ensured and water quality monitored regularly to minimize the risk of microbial regrowth. To minimize the risk of contamination: encourage the use of closed, narrow-mouthed containers with a protected dispensers spigot, spout for extracting water. Containers should be cleaned regularly and good hand hygiene should be ensured to reduce potential contamination when filling or extracting water; and if not available, ensure drinking water is kept in a clean, covered container such as a bucket or large pot.

Deliver WaSH messages to prevent cholera. Provide household water treatment products and closed, narrow-mouthed water containers in the community to support good hygiene practices, as appropriate.

Areas reporting cases should be prioritized Ensure health workers and staff or volunteers working in the community are trained to teach local people about safe water treatment methods, including collection, transport, handling and storage.

Education around hand hygiene when filling or extracting water is also important to reduce the risk of contamination. Involve the community in development and monitoring of interventions that provide access to safe water to prevent cholera. See appendix 13 — methods for household water treatment. Guidelines for drinking-water quality. Fourth edition.