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Health: cholera, a disease of poverty
A three-year-old girl died of cholera on Wednesday May 8 in Mayotte. Visiting the site, Frédéric Valletoux, the Minister of Health, wanted to be reassuring about the authorities’ response.
(France 2)
A three-year-old girl died of cholera on Wednesday May 8 in Mayotte. Visiting the site, Frédéric Valletoux, the Minister of Health, wanted to be reassuring about the authorities’ response.
It is a disease that dates back to the 19th century. Cholera first spread throughout Asia before reaching Europe. The first cases in France date back to 1832. This infectious disease is still present today, particularly in areas where hygiene measures are insufficient, such as water sanitation. One of the main symptoms East the dehydration, caused by severe diarrhea and vomiting.
The number of cases is exploding around the world
“In the case of cholera it is really watery diarrhea which will be the almost exclusive clinical sign, accompanied by vomiting. It is the emission of several liters, we are talking about 10 to 15 liters of water which can be excreted per day in severe forms”, confides Charlotte Boullé, infectious disease specialist at Montpellier University Hospital (Hérault). To stem epidemics, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that populations be vaccinated. If an infection occurs, the patient can be treated if he is taken care of in time. The number of cases is exploding worldwide according to the WHO with more than 700,000 cases reported in 2023, compared to more than 450,000 in 2022.
