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Traveling to visit or pick up your child from Ethiopia can be a very busy time for families. Now is a good time start learning about cholera, however, as you don’t want to get sick while your meeting your new kiddo(s). There has been a recent outbreak all over Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa.
According to the American Centers of Disease Control and Prevention:
Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but sometimes it can be severe. Approximately one in 20 infected persons has severe disease characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. In these persons, rapid loss of body fluids leads to dehydration and shock. Without treatment, death can occur within hours.
Cholera is passed through contaminated water or food and is passed on very quickly when water supplies are affected. While it can be from mild to severe the best medicine is always prevention. Here are a few basic rules to remember when traveling to visit or pick up your child.
1) Always drink bottled water that you trust is from a good source.
2) Do not buy food or drinks from street venders.
3) Only eat fruit that you have peeled personally. Stay away from salads and lettuce.
4) Make sure all food is cooked thoroughly and only go to restaurants that your agency has cleared for westerners. Many hotels or guesthouses are used to our “weak stomachs” and do a good job at preparing food.
5) Wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer and make it a point to not touch your face when you are out and about in Ethiopia.
There is a vaccine on the market for cholera, but it is not recommended by the CDC nor is it available in the United States.
Check with your local travel clinic for more tips on preventing cholera and possibly taking antibiotics with you on your trip in case you do fall ill. Also make sure you have a recipe for oral re-hydration drinks or take a prepackaged mix. Having a list of local clinics and of the U.S. Embassy is always great to have as well.
