Brazil confirms its first indigenous case of cholera in 20 years

The disease is already present in three countries in America

The Ministry of Health of Brazil confirmed a native case of cholerathe first to be detected of the disease in the country in 20 years, official sources reported today, Saturday, April 20, 2024.

The case was identified by health authorities in Salvadorthe capital of the state of Bahia (northeast), in a 60 year old manlast March.

According to the state-run Agencia Brasil, the patient had no history of trips to countries with confirmed cases of the disease, nor had he had contact with someone who was infected.

He case of cholera It was confirmed by the Ministry of Health, after laboratory tests that identified that the patient’s symptoms were the effect of the bacteria. Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa.

The health authority stated that It is an isolated casesince no other records were identified after an epidemiological investigation carried out by health teams in Salvador with people who had contact with the patient.

The ministry also reported that since April 10, the patient no longer presents a risk of contagion.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infectious diseasetransmitted by direct fecal-oral contamination or by ingestion of contaminated water or food.

Twenty years without indigenous cases of cholera

The last autochthonous cases were recorded in Brazil between 2004 and 2005 in the state of Pernambuco, also in northeastern Brazil.

As of 2006, only cases of cholera imported from countries such as Angola, the Dominican Republic, Mozambique and India were reported in the country.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from January to March of this year, 31 countries have already recorded cases or outbreaks of cholera and the African continent is the most impacted region, with 18 countries affected.

In America, cases have been reported only in Haiti and in Dominican Republic. And now, in Brazil.

After almost 20 years without local records, Brazil confirms an autochthonous case of cholera in Bahiahttps://t.co/9rSSfOziym

— Folha de S.Paulo (@folha) April 20, 2024