Publications

The cholera outbreak in the WHO African Region has affected 15 countries over the last two years. The trend across the region is being closely monitored and on the decline with some countries no longer have active outbreaks. As we are getting into the last months of the year, the seasonality of cholera outbreaks are issues for countries to consider and there is need to enhance preparedness and readiness, heighten surveillance and institute preventive and control measures in communities and around border crossings to prevent and mitigate cross border transmission.

In Epidemiologic week 38, eight countries Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe reported a total of 688 new cases. Transmission is currently active in 13 countries with no recent report of new cases from Eswatini (last case reported April 18) and South Sudan (last case reported May 16).

Since 1 January 2022, a cumulative total of 241 606 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), including 4 374 deaths with a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.8% as of 24 September 2023. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Nigeria account for 82.8% (199 976) of the cumulative cases and 80.0% (3 500) of all cumulative deaths reported.