Threat of cholera outbreak looms large

Rawalpindi : After an advisory issued by the National Institute of Health Pakistan for the prevention of Cholera, District Disease Surveillance and Response Unit (DDSRU) Rawalpindi has activated its teams to monitor the situation regarding the spread of acute watery diarrhoea and to analyse cases of Cholera, an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae that lives and multiplies its colonies in the small intestine.

Cholera remains a global threat to public health and its clustering has been noted among children up to four years of age in South and Central Sindh in Pakistan currently. The number of cholera cases gradually increased from February to April this year though no mortality has so far been reported. The NIH issued an advisory for the prevention of cholera on Friday, April 29 in this regard.

The DDSRU, Rawal Town rapid response team visited the hotspot areas for Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) in Union Council 12 (Dhoke Najju), UC 8 (Fauji Colony), and UC 23 (Dhoke Kashmirian) where food vendors, milk shops and fruit shops were checked for quality and cleanliness, said District Surveillance Coordinator Communicable Diseases and In-charge DDSRU Dr. Waqar Ahmed while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

He said that to check the spread of AWD, the team has started working to ensure the following of proper hygiene practices by food outlets and vendors. He said the number of cases of AWD is on the tremendous increase and if its spread continues, the health department would have to launch a campaign soon after Eidul Fitr.

He informed ‘The News’ that the number of cases of AWD registered in the district Rawalpindi in April this year is more than double as compared to the number of cases reported in April 2021.

He said the DDSRU team has engaged community and sanitary patrols and health inspectors have started educating the masses on proper hand wash, cleanliness, and food safety. Surveillance activities for AWD case detection and notification on cholera cases are on red alert, he said.

He, however, added that so far no case of cholera has been reported. He said some random water samples have also been taken for quality analysis and the presence of enteric pathogens in drinking water. The health department is monitoring cases of AWD as the major symptom of cholera is heavy watery diarrhoea with a much rapid loss of fluid. Cholera patient needs immediate hospitalization because the water loss in the body can be fatal if not treated well in time. Cholera may be termed as 10 times more life-threatening as compared to normal diarrhoea and dehydration.

Studies reveal that in cholera, the watery motion resembles that of rice water and dehydration is much more rapid as compared to diarrhoea. Such a patient should immediately be given treatment with anti-biotics, Intra-venous fluids, and ORS.

Studies reveal that nearly 60 per cent of untreated patients die of the disease. Massive watery diarrhoea is the major symptom of the infectious disease that results in dehydration. Such dramatic water loss, if left untreated, causing severe dehydration leads to thickening of blood, circulatory collapse (shock), and death. Studies reveal that a good number of cholera victims die six hours after onset of symptoms if not treated in time.