Cholera Case Fatality Ratio Reaches 1.8% in Africa

The ongoing, multi-country cholera outbreak was recently confirmed to impact African countries significantly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region reported for Epidemiologic Week #31, seven African countries, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zimbabwe reported 328 new cholera cases.

Cholera can kill people within hours when not treated, but immediate access to treatment saves lives.

Since January 2022, a cumulative number of 223,951 cholera cases has been reported to the WHO, including 4,125 deaths, with a case-fatality ratio of 1.8% as of early August 2023.

Based on the large number of cholera outbreaks and their geographic expansion, as well as a lack of oral cholera vaccines and other resources, the WHO continues to assess the risk at the global level as very high, as most cases are not reported.

The U.S. CDC previously confirmed an unprecedented global increase in cholera outbreaks in 2022 and 2023.

Nearly all cholera cases reported in the U.S. are acquired during international travel. The CDC's Clinician Outreach and Communication alert in 2023 identified Cholera as an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, often from feces. With safe water and sanitation, Cholera can be prevented.

As of August 27, 2023, access to cholera vaccines is constrained globally.