The Thai Ministry of Public Health has allocated enough medication for 2,400 cholera patients and almost 5,000 cholera vaccine doses to assist Myanmar in combating an outbreak that has spread across major cities including Yangon and Mandalay, as well as Rakhine State.
An estimated 7,000 cases have been reported in the country, according to unofficial reports.
In Karen State’s Shwe Kokko, a town bordering Mae Ramat district in Tak province of Thailand, 300 cases have been reported.
Four cases have been confirmed in Mae Sot district of Tak, where two Thais and two Myanmar nationals are being treated.
Thai authorities have delivered 24,000 cholera pills, sufficient for approximately 2,400 patients, and 1,482 doses of cholera vaccine via Mae Ramat Hospital. An additional 3,500 doses will be delivered next week.
The ministry’s Department of Disease Control says the vaccine can help build six months’ worth of immunity against cholera.
The Thai government is urging the public to consume food that is cooked thoroughly and to boil water to minimize risk. Authorities stress that cholera is not airborne and emphasise the importance of hand sanitation, especially those in contact with at-risk individuals or in shared eating environments.
Public health officials, military personnel and local authorities are carrying out a joint campaign to educate communities near the border in Tak.
At Ban Huay Nok Lae School in Mae Ramat, health experts have provided guidance to prevent cholera transmission.
Military units are patrolling the border to prevent illegal crossings, while port officials are keeping an eye on the hygiene of freight transport operators to prevent cross-border transmission.
Local authorities in Mae Sot municipality are monitoring the outbreak and trying to ensure that all people who had come in contact with the four local patients receive medication.
Residents are advised to remain vigilant and follow the “eat hot food, use tablespoons and wash hands” protocol to prevent the disease spreading further.
This story first appeared in The Bangkok Post.
