Aftermath of Floods Raises Cholera Risk In Africa

Twelve African countries are currently reporting cases, with South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe the latest to detect cholera. Weekly cholera cases in the affected African countries are declining, heavy flooding due to seasonal rains and tropical cyclones in southern Africa are raising the risk of the disease spreading and threatening to undermine outbreak control efforts.

New cholera cases fell to 2,880 by February 26, 2023 - a 37% decline compared with the previous week when 4,584 cases were recorded. Deaths remain nearly unchanged, declining marginally from 82 to 81 in the same period. In Mozambique, Tropical Storm Freddy, which made landfall on February 24, 2023, caused widespread infrastructure damage. More than 44,000 people have been affected, 55 health facilities damaged or destroyed and nearly 3,500 km of road damaged, according to preliminary findings.

To support the cholera response, the World Health Organisation has deployed 80 experts to the affected countries. Over the past two months, WHO has shipped 455 tons of critical cholera supplies to Malawi and Mozambique. The supplies have also been delivered to Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia to bolster outbreak preparedness and response.