Wuhan University in China finds Cholera case, sparking fears of spread

Wuhan University in China finds Cholera case, sparking fears of spread
July 11, 2022, 10:23 am

Medical staff treat a COVID-19 coronavirus patient at a hospital in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province on March 19, 2020. China on March 19 reported no new domestic cases of the coronavirus for the first time since it started recording them in January, but recorded a spike in infections from abroad. (File photo)

China’s Wuhan University reported a case of cholera, spurring a rush to trace contacts and stem potential further spread, the Bloomberg reported.

The district’s health department said it has collected samples, undertaken contact tracing and closed some venues for disinfection after the student was found to have the disease. It said that no further cases have been detected so far.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera, the WHO mentioned.

Cholera is relatively rare in China, with one case found in March and five detected last year.

The WHO team visit Wuhan seafood market where first COVID-19 infections detected (File photo)

But its possible emergence in Wuhan, the original epicenter of COVID-19, comes as China’s health system faces unprecedented scrutiny as coronavirus infections flare across the country despite a harsh zero-tolerance approach designed to stamp out the virus.

China classifies cholera as a ‘Class A’ disease, the strongest designation and one shared by only the bubonic plague.

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Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.

Most people who are infected will have no or mild symptoms and can be treated with oral re-hydration, though cholera can kill within hours if left untreated, according to the World Health Organization.

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