Cholera in Africa: Update 2
10 Sep 2024
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports continued transmission of cholera in African countries.
Burundi: from 1 January 2023 to 1 June 2024 there have been 1 890 cholera cases including 11 deaths.
Comoros: from 2 February 2024 to 18 August 2024 there have been 10 342 suspected cholera cases (1 100 confirmed ) including 149 deaths.
Democratic Republic of Congo: from 1 January 2024 to 14 April 2024) there have been 13 360 suspected cholera cases, including 217 deaths in 13 of 26 provinces. North Kivu, Haut Katanga, South Kivu, and Haut Lomami are the most affected provinces.
Ethiopia: from 1 January 2024 to 14 July 2024, there have been 19 832 cases including 149 deaths.
Kenya: from 1 January to 23 June 2024 there have been 392 cholera cases and 3 deaths. Tana River, Lamu and Siaya counties are affected.
Mozambique: from 1 January 2024 to 23 June 2024, there have been 8 024 cholera cases including 18 deaths. Maputo, Nampula and Sofala have been most recently affected.
Nigeria: from 1 January to 11 August 2024, there have been 5 951 suspected cholera cases, including 176 deaths. Reports came from all 36 states.
South Africa: from 4 December 2023 to 17 May 2024, there have been 12 confirmed cases with no deaths. Limpopo province is most affected. Three cases were imported from Zimbabwe.
Tanzania: Since 5 September 2023 of 4 306 cases and 81 deaths. Cholera outbreaks have been reported in 22 mainland regions: Mara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Kagera, Singida, Simiyu, Shinyanga, Tabora, Ruvuma, Mwanza, Geita, Rukwa, Dodoma, Manyara, Morogoro, Katavi, Pwani, Mtwara, Tanga, Lindi and Dar es Salaam.
Togo: from 3 August 2024 to 18 August August 2024 there have been 11 suspected cholera cases (5 confirmed cases) including 1 death.
Uganda: from 5 May 2024 to 26 May 2024, there have been 57 cases (15 confirmed) including deaths.
Zambia: from 1 January 2024 to 31 July 2024, 368 cholera cases were confirmed in 9 provinces.
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.