Cholera in Mayotte

01 May 2024

French public health authorities report an outbreak of Cholera in the Indian Ocean islands of Mayotte. Twenty-nine cases have been reported as of 29 April 2024. A contact tracing and vaccination programme is underway.

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.