Cholera in Algeria – travellers urged to take preventive measures
Algerian health authorities reported over 160 cholera cases, with two fatalities, in five areas namely Algeirs, Bouira, Bilda, Medea and Tipaza in the northern part of the country.
To prevent further spread of the disease, travellers to, and residents in cholera-affected areas should consider taking preventive measures, such as vaccination and sound hygiene practices.
Preventive measures include drinking bottled water, boiling water or water treated with chlorine, carefully washing fruit and vegetables with bottled or chlorinated water before consumption, regularly washing hands with soap, eating thoroughly cooked food and avoiding consumption of raw seafood products.
Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial infection that spreads through contaminated food or water. The typical symptoms are vomiting and watery diarrhoea with a short incubation period ranging from a few hours to five days.
Currently, the risk of infection to the EU and EEA countries is very low although the risk of importation of a cholera case cannot be ruled out.
