Sixteen people have so far lost their lives to the cholera outbreak while 115 others have been affected across various parts of the country within the past one month.
The infections have been recorded in about 12 districts in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, and Western Regions.
Head of Disease Surveillance at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Dennis Laryea, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that 1,350 suspected cholera cases were reported in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, and Western Regions.
He added, “Deaths are occurring because most of the patients who had cholera tried to self-medicate, some report to the hospital three days after the cholera infection.”
Dr. Laryea stressed that unsanitary conditions contributed to the outbreak and urged the frequent washing of hands and sanitised living.
According to the WHO, cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea, and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.
Most people infected with V. cholerae do not develop any symptoms, though the bacteria are present in their faeces for one–10 days after infection and are shed back into the environment, potentially infecting other people.
Among people who develop symptoms, the majority have mild or moderate symptoms. It takes between 12 hours and five days for a person to show symptoms. A minority of patients develop acute watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration. This can lead to death if left untreated.
