Cholera in Africa - update 2
28 Jun 2023
The World Health Organization reports continued transmission of cholera in African countries.
Burundi: 450 cases (7 deaths) from 1 January 2023 to 28 May 2023
Cameroon: 15 828 cases (345 deaths) from 25 October 2021 to 7 May 2023
Democratic Republic of Congo: 18 794 cases (104 deaths) from 1 Jan 2023 to 7 May 2023
Eswatini: 2 cases (no deaths) from 3 April 2023 to 8 May 2023
Ethiopia: 6 592 cases (104 deaths) from 17 September 2022 to 13 May 2023
Kenya: 10 297 cases (464 deaths) from 5 October 2022 to 7 May 2023
Malawi: 58 821 (1 761 deaths) from 3 March 2022 to 4 June 2023
Mozambique: 31 327 (138 deaths) from 16 November 2022 to 29 May 2023
Nigeria: 1 336 cases (79 deaths) from 1 January 2023 to 3 April 2023
South Africa: 543 cases (30 deaths) from 3 February 2023 to 2 June 2023
South Sudan: 1 471 cases (2 deaths) from 22 February 2023 to 16 May 2023
Tanzania: 82 cases (3 deaths) from 20 May 2023 to 4 May 2023
Zambia: 317 cases (8 deaths) from 20 January 2023 to 25 May 2023
Zimbabwe: 1 649 cases (44 deaths) from 12 February 2023 to 28 May 2023
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.