Health Journal Entry
Cholera Follows Floods in Mozambique (February 21, 2008)
Electron microscope view of bacteria that cause cholera. Wikipedia.
An outbreak of cholera killed at least 72 people in Mozambique. About 400 others are infected with the bacteria. The outbreak is linked to recent floods in the waterlogged African nation.
Cholera can spread easily in unsanitary conditions or when fresh water is contaminated by sewage water. This is often the case after floods.
Cholera causes digestive symptoms that include cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. In the worst cases, it leads to a dangerous loss of water and shock. The disease does not usually spread from person to person. People get the disease by drinking water or eating food contaminated with cholera-causing bacteria. When an outbreak occurs, people need to take extra precautions such as boiling water and avoiding eating raw vegetables.
The recent floods are taking a big toll in Mozambique. More than 100,000 people have been forced to move to higher ground. A quarter of a million people are depending on emergency food aid. The situation could get worse in the days ahead. This week, Cyclone Ivan took aim at the country as it roared menacingly in the Mozambique Channel.
