Prevention
Cholera is highly treatable and can be prevented if the basic rules of hygiene or Tahaarah are implemented. You can protect yourself and your family by using only water that has been boiled or bottled water.

Be sure to use bottled or boiled water for the following purposes:

· Drinking
· Preparing food or drinks
· Making ice
· Brushing your teeth
· Washing your face and hands
· Washing dishes and utensils that you use to eat or prepare food
· Washing fruits and vegetables

To disinfect your own water, boil it for one minute (or 3 minutes at higher elevations) or filter it. You should also avoid raw foods, including the following:

· Unpeeled fruits and vegetables
· Unpasteurized milk and milk products
· Raw or undercooked meat or shellfish
· Fish caught in tropical reefs, which may be contaminated

If you develop severe, watery diarrhoea and vomiting — particularly after eating raw shellfish or traveling to an area or region where cholera is epidemic — seek medical help immediately. Cholera is highly treatable, but because dehydration can happen quickly, it’s important to get cholera treatment right away.

Hydration is the mainstay of treatment for cholera. Depending on how severe the diarrhoea is, treatment will consist of oral or intravenous solutions to replace lost fluids. Antibiotics, which kill the bacteria, are not part of emergency treatment for mild cases. But they can reduce the duration of diarrhoea by half and also reduce the excretion of the bacteria, thus helping to prevent the spread of the disease.

Key Points to Remember:

· Wash your hands with soap and water frequently.

· Drink only safe water, including bottled water or water you’ve boiled or disinfected yourself.

· Hot beverages are generally safe, as are canned or bottled drinks, but wipe the outside before you open them.

· Don’t add ice to your drinks unless you made it yourself using safe water.

· Eat food that’s completely cooked and hot and avoid street vendor food, if possible.

· Avoid sushi, as well as raw or improperly cooked fish and seafood of any kind.

· Stick to fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself.