JOHANNESBURG - Cholera is an illness that results in watery diarrhea that can cause dehydration and ultimately, death.
The illness is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
WAYS TO PREVENT CHOLERA
EAT WELL-COOKED FOOD
Eat foods that have been thoroughly prepared when they are hot and steaming.
Make sure to fully prepare the seafood by heating it at a fairly high temperature.
Avoid consuming raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables.
DRINK AND USE SAFE WATER
Use and drink canned or bottled carbonated beverages as well as bottled water with the seal still on.
To prepare food, drink, and brush your teeth, only use safe water.
To make water safe for consumption and use, boil it or treat it with home bleach or a chlorine solution.
TIP:
You can boil, bleach, filter, or treat your water with a chlorine product if you're concerned that it might not be safe.
Use a chlorine product to treat
To treat your water, use a chlorine treatment product and then adhere to the label's directions.
Or boil it
If a chlorine treatment solution is not available, boiling is an effective way to sanitize water
Alternatively, use bleach
If you can't boil the water, treat it with household bleach.
Add 2 drops of household bleach per liter of water, or 8 drops per gallon, and let the solution soak for 30 minutes before drinking.
Or, filter it
If you decide to filter the water, use a filter with a particle size of 0.3 microns or less, and disinfect the water with something like chlorine, chlorine dioxide, or iodine.
Always keep your purified water in a spotless, covered container.
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN
Before eating, preparing food, feeding children, cleaning your child's bottom, using the restroom, or after caring for someone who has diarrhea, wash your hands with soap and water.
If soap is not available, frequently scrub your hands with grit or ash before giving them a good rinsing in clean water.
CLEAN UP SAFELY
30 meters away from sources of drinking water, take a bath and wash any soiled clothing or diapers.
To clean and disinfect toilets and other poop-contaminated surfaces, first wash them with soapy water to remove any solids, then disinfect them with a solution of water and household bleach.
Before reusing, clean surfaces and utensils used in food preparation with soap and sterilized water. After cleaning is finished, properly dispose of the filthy rags and soapy water. Wash your hands once more in soap and water after cleansing and disinfecting them.
- Zinhle Dlamini