Cholera in Africa: Update 1
27 May 2024
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports continued transmission of cholera in African countries.
Burundi: 163 cases from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Comoros: 3 950 cases (82 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 13 555 cases (285 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Ethiopia: 12 974 cases (97 deaths) from1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Kenya: 186 cases (1 death) from 1 January 2024 to 29 March 2024
Malawi: 243 cases (3 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Mozambique: 7 371 cases (12 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Nigeria: 559 cases (7 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Somalia: 8 681 cases (87 deaths) from1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
South Africa: 150 cases (1 death) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Sudan: 2 408 cases from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Tanzania: 2 503 cases (32 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Zambia: 19 848 cases (611 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
Zimbabwe: 18 197 cases (371 deaths) from 1 January 2024 to 30 April 2024
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.