Case of cholera reported in Wuhan

Wuhan University in Hubei province reported a confirmed case of cholera on Monday, and no further cases have been detected as of Monday evening, according to local health authorities.

The patient, reported to the city's disease control center on Saturday evening, suffered vomiting, diarrhea and mild fever. The case tested positive for the O139 strain of cholera－one of the two strains that caused the most recent outbreaks worldwide－according to a notice released by the health bureau of the city's Wuchang district on Monday.

Testing of the case's virulence returned a negative result, suggesting that the patient did not carry the cholera toxin associated with severe diarrhea and dehydration. The patient's condition was under control and symptoms had disappeared, according to the notice.

As of around 7:30 pm on Sunday, rapid test results of 264 key people and 259 key locations had found no traces of Vibrio cholera, the bacteria causing cholera.

The university added that it has locked down the patient's dormitory building and affected laboratories. Three close contacts of the patient had been put in centralized quarantine, and more people deemed at risk are undergoing isolation and have been given preventive medications.

It is also screening 19 diarrhea cases reported on campus from July 1 to Sunday and testing them against the bacteria.

"The bureau has collected samples and implemented contact tracing. Relevant facilities have been closed and disinfected," it said, adding that Wuhan University has been asked to step up health awareness campaigns.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection spread through contaminated food or water. While most infections only have mild symptoms and can be successfully treated with oral rehydration measures, the disease can be deadly within hours if left untreated.

In China, cholera is classified as a Class A disease, the highest designation that is only shared by the plague. The country experienced severe cholera outbreaks in some regions in the 1990s, but has kept the disease's incidence at a low level since 2000.

This year, Guangdong and Anhui provinces each reported one cholera infection in March and June respectively. A total of five cases were registered throughout 2021, and the last reported death was back in 2013.

For the public to prevent cholera infection, the China CDC suggested washing hands before eating meals and after using toilets. Seafood products and leftover meals should be reheated thoroughly before serving.

A resident in Wuhan, surnamed He, said he visited Wuhan University for an art exhibition last week, and was not concerned about the infection. "Given the very clean and hygienic environment nowadays, I think there is no need to panic as long as we wash hands regularly," he said.

A graduate student surnamed Yue at Wuhan University staying on campus during the summer vacation said that his study plans and life were not affected by the case's emergence.