According to initial information from the World Health Organization, there was a significant increase in cases of cholera last year. They reported a total of 667,000 cases and 4,000 deaths from the disease worldwide.
In 2022, the numbers exceeded previous levels and the World Health Organization has labeled the worldwide return of cholera as a level 3 emergency, the most critical level for health emergencies.
The outbreaks in Malawi and Haiti resulted in the highest number of fatalities, with 1,771 and 1,156 deaths respectively. This marked the most severe outbreak in the history of Malawi.
“The alarming number of cases and fatalities is causing great fear, and placing immense strain on the healthcare systems in these nations,” stated Machinda Marongwe, the director of Oxfam’s Southern Africa program. “The spread of the epidemic is rapidly intensifying into an unmanageable health emergency.”
Since the start of 2024, over 30 countries have documented cases. In Zambia, there have been 7,500 new cases since October, with 500 reported in the past 24 hours along with 17 deaths.
The leader of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, has encouraged individuals to relocate from urban areas to rural regions due to the closure of schools in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. False information about the outbreak from Mozambique has led to some unrest in the country.
During a recent outbreak in northern Mozambique, violent individuals set fire to buildings and caused the deaths of at least three individuals. This was in response to allegations that the government intentionally spread the disease.
According to Marongwe, it is crucial for governments and agencies in the area to receive urgent financial support in order to quickly carry out initiatives and plans that can enhance public hygiene and provide access to clean water. These two elements are essential in combating the spread of disease.
Cholera is a bacterial disease which spreads through contaminated water and food and causes profuse diarrhoea and vomiting.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the risk level for cholera remains “very high” due to its spread to new countries and the global shortage of vaccines.
Last year, Gavi, a global alliance for vaccines, stated that the shortage would likely continue until at least 2025.
The spread of the waterborne illness has been made worse by natural calamities and inundations. In the previous year, the eastern part of Africa experienced destructive flooding, which was exacerbated by the crisis of climate change.
Source: theguardian.com
