Acute watery diarrhoea and cholera in Bangladesh (Cox's Bazar)

The World Health Organization reports 77,122 cases of acute watery diarrhoea in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, from 1 January to 11 July 2021. Thirty-six of these cases were confirmed as cholera.

Cox's Bazar is the location of the world's largest refugee camp, which has significant public health challenges.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of faecally contaminated food or water, and occasionally foodstuffs such as shell fish. Acute watery diarrhoea may be caused by infections other than cholera that are transmitted in the same way.

Advice for Travellers

Severe cholera is rare in travellers. Mild cases may present as travellers' diarrhoea.

All travellers should be given advice on:

• maintaining safe food and water precautions
• effective hand hygiene
• basic steps in self-treating diarrhoea, particularly remaining adequately hydrated

Vaccination against cholera is dependent on the individual risk assessment, but may be considered for high risk travellers such as:

• volunteers/humanitarian aid workers/medical personnel travelling to disaster relief situations where cholera outbreaks are likely
• travellers with remote itineraries in areas where cholera outbreaks are occurring and there is limited access to medical care

For further information, see the TRAVAX Cholera page.