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Overview
This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. This week’s articles cover:
Humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia
Cholera, Shigellosis, and Typhoid fever outbreaks in the Republic of Congo
Cholera outbreak in Mozambique
For each of these events, a brief description, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation is provided.
A table is provided at the end of the bulletin with information on all new and ongoing public health events currently being monitored in the region, as well as recent events that have been controlled and closed.
Major issues and challenges include:
Ethiopia is facing a complex humanitarian crisis driven by conflicts, drought, food insecurity, and epidemics. The situation has been exacerbated by the arrival of refugees fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Sudan, leading to an overwhelming demand for humanitarian assistance. Millions of people are in urgent need of basic livelihood services, including healthcare, which exceeds the available resources on the ground. Addressing this crisis requires a comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach from donors and humanitarian actors to ensure the well-being and resilience of affected communities in Ethiopia.
The Ministry of Health of Congo has declared concurrent outbreaks of cholera, shigellosis, and typhoid fever in five departments, raising concerns about a potential common source of contamination or underlying public health issues. Urgent investigation and response are crucial to safeguard public health in the Republic of Congo, addressing the concurrent outbreaks and potential co-infections. The high number of cases with intestinal perforation and the associated high case fatality rate is alarming, necessitating accelerated efforts for early detection and management of cases.