Cholera disease causes a lot of watery diarrhea and vomiting.
Cholera diarrhea can look like cloudy rice water.
Cholera can cause death from dehydration (the loss of water and salts from the body) within hours if not treated.
How is cholera spread?
Cholera germs are found in the feces (poop) of infected people.
Cholera is spread when feces (poop) from an infected person gets into the water people drink or the food people eat.
Cholera is not likely to spread directly from one person to another.
Protect yourself and your family from cholera and other diarrheal diseases:
Drink and use safe water. Safe water is water that is bottled with an unbroken seal, has been boiled, or has been treated with a chlorine product.
Wash hands often with soap and safe water. If no soap is available, scrub hands often with ash or sand and rinse with safe water.
Use latrines or bury your feces (poop), do not defecate in any body of water.
Cook food well (especially seafood), eat it hot, keep it covered, and peel fruits and vegetables.
Clean up safely—in the kitchen and in places where your family bathes and washes clothes.
What to do if you or your family are ill with diarrhea:
If you have oral rehydration solution (ORS), start taking it now; it can save your life.
Go immediately to the nearest health facility, cholera treatment center, or community health worker, if you can. Continue to drink ORS at home and while you travel to get treatment.
Continue to breastfeed your baby if they have watery diarrhea, even when traveling to get treatment.
