Cholera is a acute infectious disease which spreads rapidly in areas where drinking water, sanitation and hygiene conditions are precarious. Cholera epidemics are relatively frequentin mozambique between October and April, but this epidemic is particularly serious. According to the latest figures provided by the WHO, around 21,000 people have been infected and 95 people have died.
The WHO representative in Mozambique, Dr Severin Ritter von Xylander, told reporters in Geneva that this cholera outbreak was the biggest in more than a decade, with particularly serious consequences for the province of Manicawho had not experienced cholera for 15 years.
An epidemic that continues to spread geographically,
He also pointed out that the epidemic continues to spread geographically, affecting new districts every week. The port town of Quelimane is one of the hardest hit by the cholera outbreak, with 132 people admitted to treatment centers in the past 24 hours. The number of cases exploded and multiplied by ten. The city was deprived of water and electricity for 14 days, which worsened the already precarious health situation (source 1).
The extraordinary cyclone Freddy hit Malawi after Madagascar and Mozambique. The country is badly affected. Cholera and malaria are to be feared. One of our emergency medical teams is deployed for three months to help the victims. https://t.co/puGw4CKGjjpic.twitter.com/p3Z3HAxrib
— Croix-Rouge fr (@CroixRouge) March 27, 2023
Faced with this situation, the authorities launched several vaccination campaigns against the disease. The first campaign took place in late February in four provinces, targeting more than 715,000 people. The second vaccination campaign was launched on Thursday in Quelimane, targeting 410,000 people, while other campaigns are planned in the provinces of Manica and Sofala. In total, more than 1.35 million people are targeted by these vaccination campaigns.