A 26-year-old youth died in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram recently and 10 others are undergoing treatment, after getting infected by cholera. It's an outbreak after many years, with the last case being reported in 2016. The disease, which spreads through contaminated food and water, can be fatal if left untreated.
The state health department is taking preventive measures and has also asked people to stay vigilant about the disease, which infects around 1.3 million people every year. Signs and symptoms According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of the disease are: 1) Sudden, severe diarrhoea that results in quick fluid loss.
2) Vomiting that goes on for hours 3)Mild to severe dehydration. "It occurs when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in the body. If untreated, severe hypovolemic shock can cause death in minutes," says the website of Mayo Clinic.
4)Fatigue, dry mouth and skin, extreme thirst and irritability 5) Muscle cramps due to electrolyte imbalance 6) Low levels of potassium Prevention of the disease 1) Make sure your drinking water is pure. Avoid sourcing it from untreated water bodies and if you are forced to, purify it with tablets, distillation or boiling. 2) Make washing your hands with soap regularly, a habit.
3) Eat only well-cooked food items and avoid raw foods, especially those that can harbour bacteria easily, like seafood, fruits and water. 4) Drink water level, use the Oral Rehydration Solution aka OR.