Publications

The cholera outbreak in the WHO African Region has affected 16 countries over the last two years. The trend across the region is being closely monitored and on the decline with some countries no longer having 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 42, nine countries Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe reported a total of 1 187 new cases. Transmission is currently active in 13 countries out of 16 affected countries with no recent report of new cases from Eswatini (last case reported April 18), Republic of the Congo (last case reported 26 July) and South Sudan (last case reported May 16).

Since 1 January 2022, a cumulative total of 250 204 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), including 4 542 deaths with a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.8% as of 22 October 2023. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Nigeria account for 82.5% (206 368) of the cumulative cases and 79.6% (3 617) of all cumulative deaths reported