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The cholera outbreak in the WHO African Region continues to evolve, with 14 countries currently affected. The climate-induced natural disasters such as cyclones and flooding in the southern African region and drought in the Horn of Africa led to an increase in cases of cholera in the affected countries. The cholera trends are being closely monitored and this highlights the need for Member States to enhance readiness, heighten surveillance and institute preventive and control measures at the points of entry to prevent and mitigate cross-border infection.

Cumulatively, 174 724 suspected cholera cases have been reported, including 3 412 deaths case fatality ratio (CFR = 2.0%) as of 24 April 2023 (Table 1). Malawi accounts for 33% (58 063) of the total cases and 51% (1 741) of all deaths reported, and together with Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and Nigeria contribute to 91% (158 521) of the overall caseload and 93% (3 157) of cumulative deaths.

The cholera outbreaks in the African Region are happening in the context of natural disasters such as cyclones (Mozambique, Malawi), flooding (Mozambique, Malawi), drought (Kenya and Ethiopia), conflict (Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia) and multiple disease outbreaks including Mpox, wild polio, measles, COVID-19 pandemic, etc. Many countries have limited and strained resources, and shortages of medical commodities, including cholera kits and Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV). Poor sanitation and unreliable water supplies with increased cross-border movements also serve as driving factors for the outbreak across the region.

With the effective response mounted in countries, a few non-endemic countries will soon begin to declare the outbreak over in the coming weeks.