Onishchenko named preventive measures to protect against cholera

Gennady Onishchenko, an epidemiologist and academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the situation with cholera in Russia is under constant epidemiological control, especially in the summer, when the risk of outbreaks is higher.

In conversation with aif.ru On Monday, June 1, the specialist noted that cholera is a stable disease, unlike influenza, and its spread is largely contained by the climate. According to him, when the water warms up to +17 degrees, specialists begin to conduct research, checking potentially unfavorable reservoirs, and with the onset of cold weather, such measurements are suspended. Onishchenko added that the incidence had increased last year, but the situation remained under control.

Among the main preventive measures, he named hygiene, the use of antiseptics, the use of only boiled or bottled water, heat treatment of products and thorough washing of fruits and vegetables. He also recommended swimming only in permitted areas and avoiding getting water in your mouth.

In May, Onishchenko, in an interview with NSN, advised Russians to spend their holidays inside the country. According to him, it is better not to travel to Argentina and India because of hantavirus and cholera.

On May 31, Rospotrebnadzor announced that the epidemiological situation of cholera in Russia remains stable and is under constant control. In total, since the beginning of 2026, more than 78 thousand cases of cholera have been registered in 23 countries of the world, the Moscow City News agency notes. Russia is highly prepared for epidemiological threats thanks to the Sanitary Shield system, and sanitary quarantine control has been strengthened at the border, Moscow 24 writes.

Earlier, a serious outbreak of cholera occurred in Nigeria: since the beginning of May, more than 3,000 cases of infection have been registered in Borno State, killing at least 37 people. Life.ru . 943 confirmed cases of cholera have been registered in Nigeria, Regnum news agency clarifies. The disease has spread to 36 districts, the most difficult situation is in the capital of the region, Maiduguri, and the authorities have declared an emergency and are taking measures to contain the infection. Russian specialists are cooperating with their African colleagues to track the dynamics of dangerous pathogens, according to RIAMO.

In March, doctor Mikhail Lebedev warned that drinking untreated river water could cause serious illnesses. Such infections include acute intestinal diseases of a viral and bacterial nature, as well as hepatitis A. At the same time, cholera is considered the most dangerous, reports 360.ru .