A recent outbreak of drug-resistant cholera has been reported among British nationals who consumed holy water from a pilgrimage site in Ethiopia, according to The Metro. The Bermel Giorgis site, believed to possess healing properties, attracts thousands of devotees. Unfortunately, the water from this site has been contaminated, leading to the cholera outbreak.
Ethiopia faces a significant challenge in providing clean water to its population. Nearly half of the country’s 122 million people lack access to safe drinking water. Despite this, many Ethiopians and international pilgrims continue to consume holy water from sites like Bermel Giorgis, often without proper treatment or testing.
The UK Health Security Agency said four people ranging in age from their 20s to 60s became infected.
According to The Metro, the travellers had returned to the UK from Ethiopia between January and mid-February of this year, when there had been a resurgence in cholera outbreaks in the country.
“Three were admitted to the hospital and reported symptoms of watery diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration, one needed intensive care for fluid resuscitation,” Eurosurveillance reported.
All four made a full recovery, but other cases in Germany have also been linked to the holy site in Ethiopia, where it’s common for visitors to bring back bottles of the ‘healing’ water.
The latest outbreak in Ethiopia began in 2022, and nearly 60,000 cases and 726 deaths have been reported, according to Oxford.
Cholera is generally contracted from contaminated food or water and spreads in residential areas that lack proper sewerage networks or mains drinking water.
It can take anywhere between 12 hours and five days for a person to show symptoms after ingesting contaminated food or water.
