China’s Wuhan reports one case of cholera

Wuhan [China], July 13 (ANI): The central Chinese city of Wuhan has reported one case of cholera, local health authorities said on Monday.
After effective diagnosis and treatment, the symptoms of the patient at Wuhan University have disappeared, according to the health bureau of Wuhan’s Wuchang District, Xinhua news agency reported.
Professional institutions have sampled, tested and tracked those connected to the case. Relevant locations have been disinfected and temporary closed management has been imposed.
No other new cases have been found to date, the report added.
“There’s no need for panic,” Yang Zhanqiu, deputy director of the pathogen biology department at Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Monday. Yang confidently stated that with largely improved sanitary conditions and medical treatment, cholera in China has been under control since 2000 and only sporadic cases have been reported in recent years. China can provide advanced medical treatment and efficacious medicines against the disease, thus it is less likely to see a cholera outbreak nowadays, the virologist said.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Cholera is an extremely virulent disease that can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea. It takes between 12 hours and 5 days for a person to show symptoms after ingesting contaminated food or water. Cholera affects both children and adults and can kill within hours if untreated.
Most people infected with V. cholerae do not develop any symptoms, although the bacteria are present in their faeces for 1-10 days after infection and are shed back into the environment, potentially infecting other people. (ANI)