Cholera

You may, or may not, have heard of the cholera problems this year in Africa. Cholera is generally caused by dirty water. Fecal matter infected by the cholera "bug" gets in the water, and people injest it. That's why we don't have it in America anymore (last outbreak was in 1910). When you become ill with cholera, you can generally survive it. What will kill you is the dehydration, because one of the main symptoms is raging diarrhea and vomiting. It can literally kill you within hours, since the victim goes into shock from dehydration. It is particularly dangerous in children.

Unfortunately, this has been a bad year for cholera in this area. It comes every year, with the rainy season, but this year is worse. I am not really sure why. We hear of cases here and there, and many times the person can be saved if IV fluids are introduced quickly. However, we have heard of deaths. It isn't the kind of epidemic that we are right in the midst of and can really report on, but one that we hear of secondhand from Kevin's students, who have relatives or neighbors dying from it. There is one town very close to Nampula where has been very bad, apparently.

We aren't very concerned about getting it ourselves, if you are wondering. We only drink and cook with filtered water, and wash all our fruits and veggies with bleach. It is rarely spread from person to person, and if one avoids the contaminated water, your chances of getting it are very low.

There is so much suffering here, so much suffering that is PREVENTABLE. Malaria, cholera, malnutrition, AIDS. It is so frustrating. - Cami