Mexico reports three new cholera cases, brings total to 187
Three new cholera cases have been confirmed in Mexico, the first cases in a month, bringing the total number of cases to 187, according to a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) cholera Epidemiological Update released Dec. 23.
One case was reported from Federal District and two from the state of Veracruz.
Since Sept. 2013, the 187 cases are from the Federal District (3), state of Hidalgo (160), Mexico State (9), state of San Luis Potosi (2) and 13 from the state of Veracruz.
The outbreak has resulted in one fatality.
According to the WHO, this is the first local transmission of cholera recorded since 2001 in Mexico. The genetic profile of the bacterium obtained from patients in Mexico presents high similarity (95%) with the strain that is currently circulating in three Caribbean countries (Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba), and is different from the strain that had been circulating in Mexico during 1991-2001.
According to the WHO, Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Every year, there are an estimated 3–5 million cholera cases and 100 000–120 000 deaths due to cholera. The short incubation period of two hours to five days, enhances the potentially explosive pattern of outbreaks.
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