African Countries Need More Assistance in Fighting Cholera, WHO Says
Health workers prepare to see patients suffering with cholera at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe central Malawi Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. 
InternationalIndiaAfricaCholera is an extremely contagious acute diarrheal illness that takes between 12 hours and 5 days for symptoms to appear in a sick person after having ingested contaminated food or water, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. African rainfalls exacerbate the cholera situation, increasing the risk of its spread.Dr. Patrick Otim, a World Health Organization official monitoring emergencies in Africa, has recently called to provide more help to countries of the continent that face cholera outbursts.Cholera is a waterborne disease, so it may “quickly explode” due to ongoing rainfalls in some regions, said Otim, adding it is potentially dangerous because of the short incubation period and risk of water sources containment.
"So it's very important that we support these countries to be able to respond at the point where the outbreaks have not become too big," he stated.
In addition, increased rainfalls in countries such as Malawi is decreasing control efforts in some regions, said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa. The situation in Malawi continues to worsen at the beginning of 2023, as more than 600 new cases are registered there every day. Since March 2022, this country has been experiencing the deadliest cholera outbreak in its history, the WHO stated.In neighboring Mozambique, since mid-December 2022, there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases and alarms: cholera cases have been reported in five provinces, including those bordering Malawi. On 26 January 2023, Zambia notified the WHO of a cholera outbreak in the Eastern Province bordering Malawi and Mozambique. There remains a high risk of the disease spreading to other countries in the region, including Tanzania and Zimbabwe. In addition, three countries of the Horn of Africa – Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia – report continued outbreaks.In overall, 12 African nations have been reported to have cholera outbursts over the last months.
AfricaAnother Failed Rainy Season, Severe Drought Expected in East Africa in 2023, IGAD Says26 February, 10:39 GMTThe WHO has warned that climate change could boost cholera epidemics dissemination, as the bacteria that causes the disease can multiply faster in warmer water.According to the organization, another reason for the spread of the disease is the ongoing drought. It forces a large number of people to travel, thereby strengthening the cholera spread and leading many to malnutrition, increasing the risk of serious cholera outbreaks in the region. The acute diarrheal infection is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacteria, and is diagnosed in humans when contaminated food or water is ingested. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and one of the generally accepted causes of inequality and lack of social development. According to Moeti, 3.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccine have so far been sent to Kenya, Congo and Mozambique, the South African country where cases of the disease have been reported as well.
