Fears of a cholera outbreak have been sparked after several people in the UK have picked up the illness from contaminated holy water. The bacterial disease was in the water taken from a sacred well in the Amhara region of Ethiopia and flown back to the UK this year.
Since 2022, Ethiopia has been grappling with a persistent cholera outbreak, with nearly 60,000 cases and 726 fatalities reported. The waterborne disease has now found its way to Europe after a few UK and German tourists returned home with the contaminated holy water.
Writing in the journal Eurosurveillance researchers, affiliated to the UK Health Security Agency, reported that four individuals, aged from their 20s to their 60s, contracted a multidrug-resistant strain of the disease upon returning from Ethiopia. Three were hospitalised and one was in intensive care but all four have since fully recovered.
While three of the infected individuals had visited Ethiopia this year, one person fell ill after consuming water brought back from the Bermel Giorgis holy well by those who had recently returned.
The researchers added: “A third patient had not travelled to Ethiopia, but reported that they had drunk holy water from the well brought back by the fourth patient, who had also become ill after consuming the water in the UK.”
Laboratory tests of faecal samples from all the patients in both the UK and Germany found the multidrug-resistant bacteria Vibrio cholerae O1. The strain has previously been linked to outbreaks of cholera in Kenya as well as Sub-Saharan, eastern and middle Africa.
The researchers added: “The holy water was heavily contaminated and bacteria remained viable during the flight and in Europe.” Most individuals can survive cholera with timely and appropriate treatment. However, in countries with inadequate water sanitation, the severe dehydration cholera causes can result in shock and death within hours.
The NHS notes that while cholera is not present in the UK, it’s possible to contract the infection when travelling to areas lacking clean water supplies. Cholera can be contracted by drinking dirty water, eating food such as shellfish that has been in dirty water or handled by an infected individual.
Common symptoms include watery diarrhoea, nausea, stomach aches, and dehydration. If these symptoms become severe, it’s crucial to seek medical attention quickly and inform your doctor if you’ve been in an area where cholera is prevalent.
Cholera is typically treated by replenishing the body’s fluids, salts, sugars and minerals that are lost through diarrhoea. Rehydration solutions and plenty of fluids are usually the go-to treatment.
In severe cases, hospital treatment may be necessary, which could involve receiving fluids intravenously or antibiotics. A vaccine for cholera is available, but it’s generally only advised if you’re travelling to an area where cholera is prevalent and medical care isn’t readily accessible.
Aid workers and those involved in disaster relief who are heading to these regions usually receive the vaccine as well. It’s given orally, with adults requiring two doses a few weeks apart to ensure protection for up to two years.
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