In Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the health official announced a meager, profoundly untypical cholera outbreak. The Public Health Agency’s Shannon Waters admitted that only 4 cases have been confirmed so far.
Herring roe eggs might have caused this meager cholera outbreak
Shannon Waters reported that health department’s personnel will proceed with the investigations until when they will be able to precisely define the cholera strain that infected those 4 people.
Allegedly, all the 4 cases were related to the consumption of herring roe eggs, which have been apparently harvested on coastal Vancouver.
The First Nations in Vancouver are following a tradition by harvesting herring eggs and, now, that this small cholera outbreak has been recorded, the local authorities seized the fishing in the area where the cholera infections have started from, supposedly.
About cholera
Cholera is an infectious intestinal disease, caused by a bacterium, favored by the absence of hygiene. Contamination is made usually by ingestion of contaminated foods or drinks.
A cholera outbreak could be very dangerous because, after only 5 days, tops, the ill persons suffer from sudden diarrhea, which can lead to severe dehydration in this illness. Besides abnormal vomiting and muscle cramps occur.
In cholera, the severe dehydration is the worst consequence and children and elderly people are the most affected.
Cholera can lead to hypovolemic shock (circulatory insufficiency) with hypotension (drop in blood pressure), and oliguria (decreased urine excretion), all due to dehydration.
The last tough cholera outbreak was recorded in Canada more than 200 years ago
In the 1800s, a cholera outbreak hit several tens of thousands of people among who, more than 20,000 cholera-confirmed deaths have been registered. Apparently, the real number was even higher.
After that tragic event of more than 200 years ago, the cholera was abolished in Canada, largely.
However, according to representatives of the Ministry of Health, in Canada, only a single case of cholera is recorded each year in British Columbia. On the other hand, now, a small cholera outbreak has been reported in Vancouver, in Canada, a country where the cholera is endemic.
In conclusion, the officials have reported that a meager cholera outbreak started in Vancouver, Canada, affecting only 4 people, so far. Apparently, herring roe eggs were the culprits.
