Attachments
In this edition:
• Highlights
• Epidemiological update
• Focus on selected countries
• Operational updates
• Key Challenges
• Next Steps
Highlights
Data as of 15 June 2023
• Since the last situation report on the multi-country outbreak of cholera was published on 1 June 2023 (covering data reported until 15 of May), no new country reported a cholera outbreak. In total, 24 countries have reported cases since the beginning of 2023.
• The overall capacity to respond to the multiple and simultaneous outbreaks continues to be strained due to the global lack of resources, including shortages of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) and cholera supplies, as well as overstretched public health and medical personnel, who are dealing with multiple parallel disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.
• Based on the large number of outbreaks and their geographic expansion, as well as a lack of vaccines and other resources, WHO continues to assess the risk at global level as very high.
• The WHO African Region remains the most affected region with 14 countries reporting cholera cases since the beginning of the year. Since mid-May 2023, a surge in the number of cases has been reported in South Africa with an ongoing geographic spread to new areas. While the number of weekly reported new cases remains high, the outbreaksin Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe appear to have stabilized in recent weeks. Significant improvements in the epidemiological situation have been reported in Malawi in recent weeks.
• In the Horn of Africa, the major region of concern remainsthe so-called ‘Mandera triangle’ region, where the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia meet. Both Kenya and Ethiopia have now reported over 10 000 cases as of the middle of 2023, and Somalia is not far behind. Both Ethiopia and Kenya continue to report spread to newly affected areas.
Ongoing security concerns and movements among internally displaced population and refugees remain the major challenges in the response operations.
• On 11 June 2023, the Ministry of Health of Lebanon declared the outbreak over. With a total of 8007 cases and 23 deaths, case fatality ratio (CFR) 0.3%, this had been the first outbreak reported in the country since 1993.
• WHO continues to work with partners at global, regional and country level to support Member States in outbreak response activities.