Cholera alarm in Myanmar’s Yangon as over 90 test positive

More than 90 people have tested positive for Vibrio cholerae in Myanmar’s Yangon region, prompting health authorities to step up measures to contain a potential outbreak, The Star reports.

Myanmar’s Ministry of Health said Thursday, August 13, that 171 people are currently hospitalized with diarrhea symptoms in Yangon, including 54 suffering from severe cases. One death has also been reported.

Most of the reported cases have been recorded in the townships of Lanmadaw, Latha, Pabedan and Kyauktada.

Authorities are testing water and food sources in areas considered at high risk of contamination. Roadside food stalls have also been temporarily closed as part of preventive measures.

The ministry has urged residents to take precautions, including drinking boiled or otherwise safe water, washing their hands thoroughly and avoiding food from potentially unhygienic sources.

Vibrio cholerae is the bacterium that causes cholera, an acute intestinal infection that can lead to severe dehydration if left untreated.

By Vafa Guliyeva