No sooner had the world breathed a sigh of relief in the decline of the “Corona” epidemic, until another epidemic threat through “cholera” knocked at the door of the Arab countries, as if we were living in a health war that required us to always stand on our preventive weapons to fight epidemics.
In an early warning, the World Health Organization warned of a “serious threat in Syria and the region” represented by the outbreak of a cholera epidemic in several regions of the country, as confirmed cases were reported through rapid diagnostic tests in Aleppo, Al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor and Raqqa, in addition to the contamination of the Euphrates River due to water scarcity. . But the most dangerous thing is through the vegetables and fruits that are irrigated from the Euphrates, which poses a real threat to the process of crossing these products into Lebanon, which was lacking only cholera, in light of the waves of corruption and economic, financial, and living distress.
So far, cholera has not spread in Lebanon, but the specialist in family medicine and bacterial diseases, Dr. Antoine Chalita, points out that the speedy diagnosis of cholera is extremely important, especially in light of the economic hardship we are experiencing and the patient’s reluctance to visit the doctor.
In an interview with the “Lebanese Forces” website, he calls on citizens to avoid unsterilized foods and to go to restaurants that do not enjoy a minimum of health protection and are unknown. At home, foods must be sterilized, especially vegetables and fruits, and water tanks, as the source is unknown and what are the procedures of the water authority.
He explains that a cholera patient does not need to be isolated like a corona patient, but the disease is contagious, so the bathroom must be sterilized after using it, and bathing daily, in addition to washing hands.
Shalita explains the symptoms of “cholera,” “high temperature, diarrhea, and a feeling of laziness or lethargy, and in some cases the cholera patient suffers from low blood pressure and rapid heart rate, and this is caused by the body losing a large amount of water due to the high temperature.”
He points out that a cholera patient needs a period of one to two weeks for a complete recovery, and that the treatment methods are simple through the “entobiotics” in the event of a correct diagnosis.
Environmentally, the head of the Earth Society-Lebanon, environmental expert Paul Abi Rashid, considers water scarcity and rationing across Turkey, Syria and Iraq an essential part that contributes to the formation and spread of cholera, and dams play a major role.
He points out that the water scarcity and stagnant water to become swamps in the Euphrates River affected the pollution of the water from which crops are irrigated, in addition to the lack of sewage refining negatively affected, but this remains part of the problem.
He explained to the “Forces” website, “Building dams in Turkey and the practice of rationing in Syria, is one of the problems that contributed to the spread of cholera in Syria across the Euphrates River and other areas and cities.”
The use of unrefined wastewater and natural fertilizers contributes to the contamination of vegetables and fruits, i.e. irrigation contaminated with feces or direct contamination resulting from improper production, sanitation procedures or facilities in the harvest or production line can also represent sources of “cholera”.
Cholera has the ability to survive for shorter periods of time on vegetables or fruits, and environmental conditions play a role in the arrival of cholera to the consumer through imported foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables can become contaminated through contact with soil contaminated with feces, fertilizer or irrigation water.