Attachments
FAST FACTS
• A cholera outbreak in West Gondar Zone of Amhara, that began on July 15, 2023, impacted 60 woredas (districts) across 16 zones.
• As of August 29, 2023, there had been 4,983 reported cases and 90 fatalities, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.81%.
• A resurgence of the outbreak in January 2025 has led to an additional 270 cases and five deaths by February 18, for a CFR of 4.5%.
OUR FOOTPRINT
• Since 2003, International Medical Corps has been providing health, nutrition, mental and psychosocial support, maternal and newborn health, food security and livelihoods, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in Ethiopia.
OUR RESPONSE
• Since February 12, International Medical Corps has been collaborating with zonal health offices and local authorities to combat cholera in Quara woreda by providing health and WASH interventions at two cholera treatment centers (CTCs): the Bermil CTC and Geligu CTC.
The cholera outbreak in Qwara woreda has raised significant public health concerns, prompting a coordinated response from International Medical Corps and other international NGOs. In February 2025, teams travelled to Gendu Wuha town and Geligu town in Qwara, Amhara region, to inform and collaborate with community leaders and local authorities, including the woreda health office, the Public Health Emergency Management team and the woreda water bureau on their intervention strategies to respond to the outbreak. The Quara woreda experiences recurrent cholera outbreaks, with the first episode beginning on July 15, 2023, when cholera cases were reported from the Bermil St. George Holy Water site in the Quara district of the West Gondar zone in Amhara. The outbreak affected 60 woredas across 16 zones, leading to 4,983 cases and 90 deaths—a 1.81% case fatality rate (CFR). A new outbreak of cholera emerged at Bermil on January 3. As of February 18, 270 cases and five deaths had been reported, with all cases either originating from Bermil or having a travel history from there. By the first week of January 2025, 181 cases had been recorded at the Bermil cholera treatment center (CTC), with a CFR of 4.5%. This escalation highlights the urgent need for effective interventions and community engagement to control the spread of cholera and mitigate its impact on affected populations.