Kuwait detects cholera in citizen who returned from abroad

The patient was isolated and treated, health ministry says

Cholera samples in a laboratory. Kuwait says it has treated a citizen who returned from abroad with the disease and advised the public. EPA

Kuwait's Health Ministry said a cholera infection was detected in a citizen who had travelled abroad.

The patient had returned recently from a neighbouring country where there is a cholera outbreak, the ministry said on Friday.

The patient was isolated and treated at a ministry hospital until recovery, it said.

The ministry said health protocols were applied to people who had been in contact with the patient, and ruled out the possibility of a local outbreak, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

It advised residents to follow safety precautions and avoid unsafe food and drink while travelling in countries known to have cholera outbreaks.

People who had travelled to such countries should report to a health centre if they experienced cholera symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, the ministry said.

The World Health Organisation said cholera can be caught by consuming food or water infected with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

While most cases are mild to moderate, not treating the illness could lead to death.

According to the WHO, Lebanon is the latest phase of an outbreak that began in Afghanistan in June before spreading to Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Syria.