Cholera in Africa - update 1
21 Apr 2023
The World Health Organization reports continued transmission of cholera in African countries.
Burundi: 232 cases (1 death) from January 2023 to 4 April 2023
Cameroon: 14 582 cases (296 deaths) from October 2021 to 30 March 2023
Democratic Republic of Congo: 30 057 cases (349 deaths) from Jan 2022 to 3 April 2023
Eswatini: 1 cases (no deaths) from March 2023 to 5 April 2023
Ethiopia: 2 757 cases (57 deaths) from August 2022 to 3 April 2023
Kenya: 8 202 cases (133 deaths) from October 2022 to 4 April 2023
Malawi: 56 763 (1 722 deaths) from March 2022 to 4 April 2023
Mozambique: 22 482 (97 deaths) from September 2022 to 4 April 2023
Nigeria: 24 435 cases (617 deaths) from January 2022 to 13 March 2023
South Africa: 11 cases (1 death) from February 2023 to 27 March 2023
South Sudan: 608 cases (2 deaths) from February 2023 to 30 March 2023
Tanzania: 72 cases (3 deaths) from February 2023 to 13 March 2023
Zambia: 317 cases (8 deaths) from January 2023 to 4 April 2023
Zimbabwe: 237 cases (2 deaths) from February 2023 to 27 March 2023
Cholera is an infection spread mainly through food and water that can cause sudden watery diarrhoea.
Advice for Travellers
Cholera is rare in travellers. Mild cases may present as travellers' diarrhoea.
If you are travelling to a country where there is an outbreak of cholera, you should be aware how to:
- practice safe food and water precautions
- practice effective hand hygiene
- treat mild diarrhoea, and when to seek medical attention
A vaccine is available to protect against cholera. Since the risk to travellers is very low, the vaccine is only usually recommended for volunteers or humanitarian workers travelling to work in disaster relief situations.
See the fitfortravel Cholera page for further information.