NewsDesk @bactiman63
Since the last update in May, the cholera outbreak in Ethiopia keeps spreading with a significant increase of cases.
As of 20 June 2023, 11,407 cholera cases – of whom 22 per cent are children under five – were reported across 79 woredas of Oromia, Somali, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ (SNNP) and Sidama regions with 156 associated deaths, according to OCHA.
The current outbreak is among the longest ever in Ethiopia, with the first case recorded in August 2022.
The reported deaths are mostly between the age of 0 to 14 years (of which 26 per cent are children under five). Out of the total caseload, more than 95 per cent have not received any doses of Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV). The largest fatality rate is reported in Guji Zone (21 per cent), followed by Liban (16 per cent), East Bale Zones (9,6 per cent) and Bale (9 per cent). With limited OCV doses and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, more than 7.7 million people remain at high-risk in the 79 affected woredas.
Ethiopia’s Afar region battles dengue and malaria outbreaks
A vaccination campaign was conducted in Oromia, SNNP and Somali Regions, vaccinating over 1.9 million people with one dose only, due to global supply shortage.
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According to the latest forecast, the upcoming Kiremt rainy season is likely to trigger new floods incidents across the country, calling for urgent and immediate preparedness actions.
The cholera outbreak has affected 14 countries in the WHO African Region. The climate-induced
natural disasters such as cyclone and flooding in the southern African region and drought in the Horn
of Africa led to increase in cases of cholera in most of the affected countries. With the rainy season
commencing in the west African region there is the risk of more cholera outbreaks on the horizon.
Netter’s Infectious Diseases 2nd Edition
Since 1 January 2022, a cumulative number of 194,840 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO
Regional Office for Africa, including 3,700 deaths with a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.9% as of 28 May
2023.
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