What factors make populations at risk?
Cholera is most common in areas that lack clean water sources and sanitation services. Areas like refugee camps and urban slums, where people live in close proximity with little to no access to clean water and sanitation facilities are at a very high risk of experiencing a cholera epidemic. In complex emergencies like war and natural disaster, in which thousands of people are displaced and forced to resettle amid poor living conditions, cholera is particularly a threat as health infrastructure is frequently damaged, destroyed or non-existent. How is it treated and prevented? Most cases – 80 percent – can be treated through oral rehydration salts (ORS), which help reverse dehydration and restore potassium levels following the onset of acute diarrhea. The most severe cases, in which the patient is extremely dehydrated, can be treated through intravenous (IV) fluids and antibiotics. To control the outbreak, safe water and sanitation services are essential for the at-risk population, in ad
