French Health Minister Frederic Valletoux visited the island of Mayotte after the first cholera-related death was reported. The response to the cholera epidemic on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte has been deemed ‘adequate’ by the health minister.

Valletoux commended the ARS health authority teams for their efforts in containing outbreaks as soon as cases are suspected. A comparison was drawn to the situation in the Comoros, where the epidemic started earlier and has resulted in thousands of cases and nearly 100 deaths.

During his visit to the Kirson district of Koungou, where at least 50 cases of cholera have been reported, Valletoux expressed satisfaction with the response measures in place.

Cholera is an infectious disease that leads to severe symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and muscle cramps. The disease spreads rapidly in environments with inadequate sanitation conditions.

Most of Mayotte’s imported cases have originated from the Comoros, which has been grappling with a cholera epidemic for some time.