Publications

The cholera outbreak in the WHO African Region has affected 15 countries, however with response interventions some countries no longer have 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 32, seven countries, including Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe reported a total of 357 new cases. Transmission is currently active in 12 countries with no recent report of new cases from Eswatini (last reported April 18), South Sudan (last reported May 16) and Zambia (last reported June 15).

Since 1 January 2022, a cumulative total of 225 760 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), including 4 135 deaths with a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.8% as of 13 August 2023 (Table 1). Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and Nigeria account for 83.5% (188 486) of the cumulative cases and 85.3% (3 528) of all cumulative deaths reported.