In Haiti, fighting cholera with a water machine
It was everyone’s worst nightmare:cholera has reportedly moved from the rural areas of Haiti to the island nation’s capital city, Port-au-Prince.
Now, the main water source to the city is contaminated with a bacteria, and crowded city dwellers are at risk of contracting an infection.
Cholera is hard to control once it makes its way into the water supply. The moment a person drinks the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, it settles into the small intestine. It can take anywhere from several hours to five days before the victim experiences watery diarrhea and vomiting.
If the person doesn’t quickly re-hydrate with clean water — and take a dose of antibiotics — it can be fatal.
