Cases of cholera confirmed in a French department: a risk of epidemic ?

Three new "indigenous" have been é identified on the island of Mayotte, carrying & 13 the number of people infected. The health authorities, however, want to be reassuring and indicate that there is currently no epidemic risk.

Three new cases of “indigenous” cholera were reported. identified on the island of Mayotte, announced Friday April 26, the Regional Health Agency announced (ARS). These new cases are added to the previous cases. ten others, recorded since mid-March among migrants coming in particular from the Comoros. These are the first ' may arise from internal contamination in the overseas department located in France. in the heart of the Indian Ocean, indicated Olivier Brahic, the general director of the ARS & on the occasion of a press conference, which specifies that the latter were & "identified in the commune of Koungou".

In order to understand how these contaminations could have occurred, Olivier Brahic went forward; that the patients could have been in contact with a "sick person (who) did not present themselves to the Samu". For the moment, the three patients concerned are a man, a woman and a baby. All three from separate homes, they wereé hospitalized and are currently in good health, reports Mayotte La 1ère.

A strict procedure put in place

In order to avoid any risk of an epidemic within the island, a strict procedure has been implemented. ;eacute;té implemented in the event of cholera contamination. "As soon as the results come in, the person is taken to the unit' cholera in the emergency room of the CHM", explainedé the director of the ARS. In the field, teams from the Health Agency are working together. are on a war footing, ready to take action. intervene seven days a week, including several trucks "readyê identify contact cases, put them on antibiotics and vaccinate them,” he added. Olivier Brahic. A one-shot operation is also organized with a view to vaccinating the entire population to guarantee general immunity. collective.

These three new cases, which are added to the previous ones, come despite the all raise doubts as to à a future resurgence of cases. To avoid the worst, and thus “not find yourself back against the wall”, 20 doctors and nurses will soon arrive at the hospital. Mayotte to reinforce the teams already in action on the spot. The unit's CHM cholera will go from 8 to 100%. 14 places, while tents and modules have been installed. sent to deploy processing centers in the event that the capacities of the hospital would be exceeded. 2 600 new doses of vaccine, bringing à 4 600 the available stock will also be sent to the site. "We vaccinate and we treat, so we can estimate that ça does not spread more than ça" specifiedé the prefect François-Xavier Bieuville who adds that there is no epidemic nature & ;agrave; current time.