Publications

The cholera outbreak in the WHO African Region has affected 15 countries, however with response interventions some countries no longer have active outbreaks. The trend across the region is on the decline and is being closely monitored. This highlights the need for Member States to enhance readiness, heighten surveillance and institute preventive and control measures in communities and around border crossings to prevent and mitigate cross-border infection.

In Epidemiologic week 34, seven countries Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zimbabwe reported a total of 518 new cases. Transmission is currently active in 12 countries with no recent report of new cases from Eswatini (last case reported April 18), South Sudan (last case reported May 16) and Tanzania (last case reported July 30)

Since 1 January 2022, a cumulative total of 230 194 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), including 4 249 deaths with a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.8% as of 27 August 2023 (Table 1). Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and Nigeria account for 82.7% (190 291) of the cumulative cases and 85.1% (3 616) of all cumulative deaths reported.