Spread of cholera from uncontrolled territories is possible only if you consume contaminated water or direct contact with patients or vibrio carriers, cholera is not transmitted through airborne droplets, assured infectious disease doctor, medical consultant of CSD LAB laboratory Lesya Lozko.
“It has to be contact. If there are sick people there and it is possible to move them from the occupied territories to ours, then there is a risk of spread. Cholera is not transmitted by airborne droplets, that is, there must be either household contact or spread through contaminated water,” she explained to the agency “Interfax-Ukraine”.
At the same time, the expert noted that so far there is no official confirmation of cholera outbreaks in non-controlled territories.
“Reliable information from the uncontrolled territories, unfortunately, we can not receive,” she said.
At the same time Lozko noted that now there is a seasonal increase in acute intestinal diseases, but it is within the standard seasonal fluctuations.
Commenting on the information about the detection of cholera-like vibrios, the expert noted that the outbreak of intestinal diseases can be prevented by observing sanitary and hygienic rules, in particular hand washing, drinking bottled water and thermal treatment of food products.
Lozko reminded that cholera-like vibrios do not cause cholera, but acute intestinal infections, which have symptoms characteristic of these diseases, but not so often lead to catastrophic dehydration of the body, which can provoke lethal outcome.
At the same time, Lozko noted that outbreaks of acute intestinal diseases are possible in closed groups, such as boarding schools and nursing homes, as well as among the military.
At the same time, the expert noted that there is no increase in demand for tests for acute intestinal diseases.
As reported, according to the General Staff of the AFU, in the temporarily occupied by the Russians cities of Skadovsk and Genichesk, Kherson region, the incidence of acute intestinal infections is increasing, the nature of the course of the disease has signs of cholera, but the occupation authorities do not recognize the increase in the number of diseases and are trying to hide the deterioration of the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the region. According to the General Staff, the occupants carry out hidden vaccination against cholera of representatives of the administrations and their close entourage.
In turn, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine records a constant and significant microbial contamination of surface water bodies belonging to the Black Sea, the rivers Dnieper, Ingul, Ingulets, Southern Bug and estuaries. Thus, according to the results of research, exceeding of sanitary-chemical, microbiological and toxicological characteristics was recorded. Among the dangerous – salmonella, eggs and larvae of helminths, Escherichia coli, rotavirus. Cholera-like vibrios are also detected.
The risk of cholera in the south and east of Ukraine is higher than in other regions, says infectious disease doctor Olga Bonkovska.
“There is still a higher risk of cholera outbreaks in the south and east of Ukraine. These regions are the regions with the highest risk of a cholera epidemic,” she said on the air of the analytical center “Experts Club”.
Commenting on the risks of cholera outbreaks after the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam was blown up, Bonkovska noted the danger of cholera, in particular, because “cholera starts as a common intestinal infection, and in the initial stages it is impossible to distinguish whether it is cholera or a common intestinal infection.”
“I do not recommend self-medication, because it will help if it is a common intestinal infection, but if it is cholera, there is no way to cure cholera at home,” she said.
The expert reminded that the main manifestation of cholera is dehydration.
“Due to severe dehydration, a person can go into shock with loss of all body functions, kidneys, heart, which can lead to death,” she said.
The infectious disease specialist emphasized that during cholera, “fluid loss becomes so severe that a person simply does not have time to replenish the fluid loss with water.”
“The rate of water excretion from the body exceeds the rate of water absorption during oral rehydration, and medical care in a hospital is needed to replenish water,” she said.
Bonkovska noted that in order to protect oneself from cholera, especially in the regions affected by flooding, it is necessary to drink bottled water or water that has been treated by boiling or using special tablets, wash fresh vegetables and fruits with bottled water or chilled boiled water, wash or disinfect hands with ordinary sanitizers, get rid of the habit of keeping hands in the mouth: take the rule “Hands out of the mouth!” as an axiom.
In addition, the infectious disease specialist recommends not eating with your hands, “as a last resort, keep a sandwich or any other food in a clean napkin,” not eating shrimp or fish without prior heat treatment, and swimming only in those bodies of water where it is allowed.
At the same time, the expert emphasized the inadmissibility of self-medication of acute intestinal infections with antibiotics.
“I don’t advise you to start treating diarrhea at home. It is still better to seek medical help,” she said.
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There are no outbreaks and cases of cholera in the flood-affected areas of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, the Ministry of Health reported.
“There is a mass fake spread in the network regarding cholera outbreaks in the regions affected by the flooding. This information does not correspond to reality and is part of the hostile IPSO” – says the department in his Telegram-channel.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that to date, no confirmed cases of cholera have been registered in Ukraine in these territories.
No cases or suspected cases of cholera have been registered in Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of Health in its Telegram channel, the results of tests of samples taken both from environmental objects and from patients with signs of acute intestinal infection are negative.
At the same time, the ministry specified that 38 monitoring points of water of surface water bodies (river and sea) along the channel and sea coast in Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions were formed in the regions affected by flooding.
Since the beginning of June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health have examined 545 people with acute intestinal infections for cholera, the causative agent of cholera has not been identified. As the Ministry of Health reported with reference to the Deputy Minister of Health – Chief State Sanitary Doctor Igor Kuzin, the department began enhanced epidemiological surveillance of cholera from June 1.
“This happens every summer, because this is a favorable time for the spread of this disease. In the first two weeks, out of 1,874 patients with acute intestinal infections, 545 people were examined for cholera. No cholera vibrios were found in those examined,” Kuzin said.
He said that since the beginning of June, more than 550 samples of fresh water, 47 samples of sea water and 215 samples of sewage have been examined, and no cholera vibrios were found according to the results of the studies.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) has recommended that Ukrainians refrain from traveling to Zambia due to the outbreak of cholera in the capital until the epidemiological situation returns normal, the ministry’s consular service has said. “The diplomatic office recommended that those compatriots who are already in Zambia exercise special caution and adhere to the recommendations of local authorities, medical and other competent services, as well as monitor the latest news,” the report says.
According to the ministry, an epidemic of cholera broke out in Zambia, in particular in the capital city of Lusaka, and especially in the Kanyama area.
The report also notes that in case of symptoms of the disease or other circumstances that require immediate consular response, Ukrainians are advised to apply to Ukraine’s Embassy in the South African Republic.
