Southern Africa: Cholera Situation Snapshot (As of 29 February 2024)

OVERVIEW

Southern Africa is among the regions responding to one of the worst cholera outbreaks in the world. About 234,000 cholera cases, including 4,200 related deaths, have been reported in eight countries in Southern Africa since January 2022. Zambia and Zimbabwe are among the eight most severely impacted countries in the world with 20,700 and 27,000 cases reported respectively since the outbreaks were declared last year. These two countries jointly account for 86 per cent of reported cholera cases in the region from January to February this year. There are eight countries with active transmission in the region including the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, while sporadic cases have been reported in South Africa. The situation in Mozambique is escalating, with projections indicating a steep increase in cases.
The increase in frequency, number, and scope of cholera outbreaks in the region is partly aggravated by the impacts of climate change, which is reducing access to safe water and sanitation, and triggering population movements. With the support of the World Health Organization, humanitarian partners are working with Governments to scale up response, including through cholera vaccination campaigns amid limited resources. However, they continue to advocate for a multi-sectoral response to cholera. This includes taking urgent steps to improve access to clean water, hygiene, and sanitation services and information critical to preventing cholera’s spread as well as enhancing surveillance and case management.