Iraq visitors warned against cholera

The Head of Research & Production Section in the Ministry of Health (MoH)'s Health Promotion Department, Abeer Al-Ghawi, urged travelers to Iraq to take all the necessary preventative precautionary measures against cholera.

She urged travelers to avoid infected places, polluted water or foodstuffs, or intermingling with crowds and to follow rigorous hygienic measures.

She said a meeting was held with officials at border exits to provide health awareness material and set up reception mechanism for arrivals. She commended Bahrain's health infrastructures, clean potable water, effective sanitary system, and community awareness about self-care and personal hygiene, that ensure very low risk of spreading cholera contagion in Bahrain.

Al-Ghawi added that awareness activities have been launched through community centres and health centres in coordination with travel contractors and the Jaffariya Endowments Directorate.

Intensive public health awareness campaigns have been launched on radio, TV, and social media, including daily interviews on radio and television to increase public awareness and keep citizens well informed about the Ministry of Health's preparations and measures.

She said the bacteria causing cholera infests the human body between eight hours and five days, adding that the major factor that carries the bacteria is 90% polluted water and10% polluted foodstuffs.

Caption: An Iraqi girl receives a dose of cholera vaccine at a camp for internally displaced in southwest of the oil hub of Basra (www.medialine.org)