Cholera: Prevention and Control

What is cholera disease?

• Cholera disease causes a lot of watery diarrhea and vomiting.
• Cholera diarrhea can look like cloudy rice water.
• Cholera can cause death from dehydration (the loss of
  water and salts from the body) within hours if not treated.

How is cholera spread?

• Cholera germs are found in the feces (poop) of infected people.
• Cholera is spread when feces (poop) from an infected person gets into the water people drink or the food people eat.
• Cholera is not likely to spread directly from one person to another.

Protect yourself and your family from cholera and other diarrheal diseases:

• Drink and use safe water.
  Safe water is water that is bottled with an unbroken seal, has been boiled, or has been treated with a chlorine product.
• Wash hands often with soap and safe water.
  If no soap is available, scrub hands often with ash or sand and rinse with safe water.
• Use latrines or bury your feces (poop), do not defecate in any body of water.
• Cook food well (especially seafood), eat it hot, keep it covered, and peel fruits and vegetables.
• Clean up safely—in the kitchen and in places where your family bathes and washes clothes.

What to do if you or your family are ill with diarrhea:

• If you have oral rehydration solution (ORS), start taking it now; it can save your life.
• Go immediately to the nearest health facility, cholera treatment center, or community health worker, if you can. Continue to drink ORS at home and while you travel to get treatment.
• Continue to breastfeed your baby if they have watery diarrhea, even when traveling to get treatment.