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December 2007
Burundi - Cholera - (Cibitoke)
31 Dec 2007
AllAfrica, Burundi Realites (Bujumbura) report [edited]
According to this story, a total of 17 people from Rugombo commune in Cibitoke province have been quarantined in the hospital due to cholera. There is a lack of clean water in Rugombo. In some areas, the population has to walk long distances to get clean water. The state-owned water and electricity company has closed public fountains. The population draws its water from dirty rivers that flow through this commune. Other outbreaks of cholera were recently announced in Nyanza Lac in the south of Burundi, but they have been brought under control.
Congo DR - Cholera (North Kivu)
27 Dec 2007
Afrol News [edited]
A total of 5 people have reportedly succumbed to an outbreak of cholera in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Rutshuru town. The outbreak has erupted among the town's displaced people. And according to health officials, at least 1300 people have so far been affected by the outbreak. Health experts linked the outbreak to lack of drinking water and pit latrines in refugee camps in Rutshuru.
South Africa - Diarrhea - (Mpumalanga)
21 Dec 2007
Sowetan [edited]
The Mpumalanga health department is still baffled by the cause of the outbreak of diarrhea in the Standerton area. The number of reported cases has risen from 134 to 1727, and more than 60 people have been hospitalized. According to a spokesman, the cause of the recent outbreak was not known, and water samples were taken to laboratories for testing. Most of the people affected were women. The outbreak started in the week between 6 and 14 Dec 2007, and 48 people were hospitalized.
Angola - Cholera (Bie)
20 Dec 2007
Angola Press [edited]
According to a source at the hospital, five cases of cholera were notified over the last 24 hours at the provincial treatment center of the disease located in Kuito city, central Bie province, the cases being notified in Cangoti and Camalaia wards. The health unit, the source added, faces some difficulties, mainly those related to medical-medicine means and hygiene. The provincial center to combat cholera has 6 tents and the same number of nurses, an amount which is considered insufficient to cater to patients seeking treatment at the unit.
Uganda - Cholera (Buliisa)
19 Dec 2007
AllAfrica.com and New Vision (Kampala) [edited]
According to this story, Buliisa district authorities on Friday [14 Dec 2007] arrested at least 100 people over failure to construct pit latrines in their homesteads. This comes at a time when the district has been hit by cholera that has left 8 people dead and 156 others treated and discharged at different health centers. The chief administrative officer (CAO) was quoted as saying on Saturday [15 Dec 2007] that over 58 per cent of the homes in the district did not have latrines.The CAO denied recent media reports that 15 people had died of cholera in the last 4 days. He said one child died last week, while 8 deaths occurred between October and December 2007.
Zimbabwe - Cholera, diarrhea (Harare)
11 Dec 2007
The Zimbabwean [edited]
According to this story, CHRA (Combined Harare Residents Association) has received an increasing number of reports on diarrhea and cholera cases from Mabvuku and Tafara in the last 2 weeks. Residents complain that while in some parts of Mabvuku and Tafara there has been a steady supply of water, it is almost always dirty and has a suspicious smell. On Monday [10 Dec 2007] a CHRA team visited Mabvuku and Tafara and interviewed medical personnel in private and public clinics. It has emerged that hundreds of people are suffering from stomach problems. A survey made by CHRA through its structures also revealed that most people cannot afford medical attention and resort to traditional means. The problems of disease outbreaks come after residents in Mabvuku and Tafara have been hit by serious water shortages resulting in most households fetching water from streams. As for the few who have water from their taps, the water is dirty and has visible algae. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) took over the administration of sewer and water services from the City of Harare. The takeover led to a downward trend in the quality of services offered by the City of Harare. Sadly, ZINWA has failed to provide adequate water supplies for business and household use in Harare. The City of Harare has over 60 percent of water in its water bodies but ZINWA has no capacity to treat adequate supplies for residential and industrial use.
Related stories
14 Dec 2007 - Cholera, diarrhea (Harare)
AllAfrica.com and SW Radio Africa (London) [edited]
According to the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), at least 2000 cholera cases have been reported at clinics around the city in the past week. They say the township of Mabvuku in the east of the city has been worst hit.
23 Dec 2007 - Afriquenligne
Burundi - Cholera (Makamba)
10 Dec 2007
Agence France-Presse [edited]
A total of 2 people have died as a result of a fresh cholera outbreak in southeastern Burundi and another 57 people were hospitalized in the Nyanza-Lake health centre, 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Bujumbur, officials said Monday [10 Dec 2007]. According to this story, at least 152 people had been infected by the disease since the outbreak was first reported on 1 Dec 2007, Nyanza-Lake town being prone to such epidemics since the only form of sanitation and drinking water available to most of its 54,000 residents is Lake Tanganyika.
Tanzania - Cholera (Dar es Salaam)
8 Dec 2007
IPP Media [edited]
According to the Regional Commissioner; at least 3 people are admitted to Buguruni Cholera Care Centre in Dar es Salaam. He said among 37 patients who reported at Temeke hospital between 3 Oct 2007 and 1 Nov 2007, 3 were suffering from cholera. The rest of the patients were found to be suffering from diarrhea. All of them had since been treated and discharged. He said most cholera patients came from Temeke municipality.
Somalia - Cholera (south)
7 Dec 2007
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [edited]
The WHO Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) detected suspected acute watery diarrhea (AWD) cases in Baidoa (Bay). On 4 Dec 2007, about 268 cases were reported including 10 related deaths. 3 out of 4 samples tested positive for cholera. WHO conducted an investigation and mobilized a rapid response team to ensure mass chlorination of drinking water in wells in Baidoa and surrounding villages where the cases originated. While 6 samples sent to Bossaso tested negative, one belonging to an 80 year old male from Luug in Gedo tested positive. As of 30 Nov 2007, 81 cases of suspected AWD, including 3 related deaths were reported in Luuq by the Gedo Health Consortium (GHC). The cholera control committee is coordinating the response through daily meetings. Response consists of chlorination and health education for the affected population. Between 24 and 30 Nov 2007, Lower and Middle Juba reported 114 AWD cases from 3 different districts, with no related deaths. WHO supported the local NGO Juba Foundation with the renovation of the main drinking water well and the chlorination of 2 wells in Nafta-Qur village in Jamame in close collaboration with Muslim Aid.
Uganda - Cholera (western districts)
6 Dec 2007
AllAfrica.com New Vision (Kampala) report [edited]
According to this story, cholera broke out in Nebbi on 15 Oct 2007 and has infected 320 people, killing 4 of them. The cases were mainly in Jonamu and Padyere counties. It also broke out in Buliisa district on 4 Nov 2007, killing 5 of the 140 people infected. The cases, according to the ministry, are in Butiaba parish in Biiso sub-county. Another 3 people died in Hoima district where the disease has infected 84 people since it was 1st reported in Kigorobya sub-county during November 2007. In Kasese, 15 cases were reported, but the ministry said all of them were imported from Buliisa.
[Editors note: An update on 12 December from The Monitor (Kampala) says that illness counts have risen to 331 people. A district surveillance officer attributed the outbreak to contaminated water sources.]
Related stories
17 Dec 2007 - Uganda - Cholera (Nebbi)
AllAfrica.com and The Monitor (Kampala) [edited]
According to district health officials, since early November 2007, Nebbi District is going through its worst ever cholera epidemic, registering an average of 10 new cases every day. The outbreak that started in 3 sub-counties of Parombo, Akworo and Panyimur has also spread to 7 sub-counties, totaling 10. According to the latest medical statistics, the district has recorded 331 cases since the outbreak, with 4 deaths. In 2006, over 110 cases were recorded district wide.Despite impressive revenues from fishing, especially at Dei landing site in Panyimur, there has been virtually investment in basic services like health care since the 1970s, and only a privileged minority of the people living there have access for borehole water. The district health inspector said a number of factors conspired for the cholera outbreak: bad hygiene conditions, overcrowding, lack of safe drinking water, poor hygiene and sanitation that is rampant in most homes.
Kenya - Cholera (Nyanza)
6 Dec 2007
AllAfrica.com, The Nation (Nairobi), Kenya News Agency (KNA) report [edited]
According to this story, food hawking has been banned in parts of Siaya District following an outbreak of cholera in the area. The outbreak reported early this week [3-9 Dec 2007] has led to 3 deaths, while 6 people were treated and discharged. More than 46 people are receiving in-patient treatment in different health centres in the district. The Provincial Administration has also ordered the residents to dig pit latrines and adhere to high standards of hygiene. The Siaya medical officer of health said the cholera outbreak was due to lack of clean water, failure to observe hygiene and feasting in gatherings.
Related stories
18 Dec 2007 - Kenya - Cholera (Nyanza)
Agence France-Presse [edited]
According tohealth officials on Monday [17 Dec 2007], a cholera outbreak has killed at least 7 people and infected 33 others over the past week in western Kenya and authorities are struggling to contain the disease. The fatalities included 3 children and 4 adults who died in Sindo and Mbita trading posts, said the Suda district medical officer of health. A total of 33 patients were admitted in 3 health centers in the affected district, about 330 km (206 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi, he added. Public health officers have shut public eateries and markets as well as appealed to the public.
20 Dec 2007 - Kenya - Cholera - (Nyanza, Western)
AllAfrica.com and The Nation (Nairobi) [edited]
Four people have died of cholera in Western and Nyanza provinces. Three of them are from Suba District, while the other is from Bunyala District. They all died Wednesday [19 Dec 2007]. The Nyanza provincial medical officer said none of the deaths occurred in a health center.Two cases of the disease were reported in the area 2 weeks ago. No one had died of the disease until Wednesday [19 Dec 2007]. In Busiia, the district medical officer of health confirmed a death at Mukhobola health center in the flood-hit Budalang'I Division. According to officer, 5 other people, including the wife of the deceased, were infected and were being monitored at Mukhobola health center.
Malawi - Cholera (Southern Region)
4 Dec 2007
Reuters Africa [edited]
According to health authorities on Tue 4 Dec 2007, at least one person has died from cholera and 16 others have contracted the water-borne disease in Blantyre, Malawi's main commercial city. All 17 cases were registered over the past week in Bangwe, one of Blantyre's crowded townships. Acccording to the deputy district health officer, the disease risked spreading further due to persistent water shortages that have hit the city as a result of breakdowns at the state-run water utility and with no safe supply of water, many Malawians may resort to drinking water from unpurified wells.
Related stories
18 Dec 2007 - Malawi- Cholera
Nyasa Times [edited]
Malawi will launch this year's cholera campaign week Friday [21 Dec 2007] in Nkhatabay district, health minister has said. The health minister conceded that Malawi was already experiencing a cholera outbreak. "Let me mention that the cholera outbreak has already started. By 16 Dec 2007, we had registered 291 cases with 2 deaths," said Ngaunje. The minister told a news conference in Lilongwe that government is distressed with the increase in cholera cases and called on development partners and the general public to join hands with the ministry in combating the disease. She said the cases in 2006/2007 were reported from Nkhata Bay, Machinga, Phalombe, Nkhotakota, Mangochi and Nsanje districts and said they needed serious efforts to check the increase of the outbreak in the districts.
24 Dec 2007 - Malawi - Cholera
The Daily Times [edited]
The UN (United Nations) has said it is concerned with annual cholera outbreaks in Malawi. By 16 Dec 2007, the country has registered 291 cases of cholera with 8 deaths. Nsanje, with 154 cases, reported the highest number, trailed by Blantyre with 54 cases. Other districts affected were Nkhotakota, Mulanje, Thyolo, and Chikwawa. 2006's rainy season recorded 309 cases, which resulted in 6 deaths.
14 Jan 2008 - United Nations Children's Fund
Tanzania - Two pupils die of suspected relief food poisoning: press
04 Dec 2007
English News Service
Xinhua News Agency
Two primary school pupils have died of suspected relief food poisoning while up to a hundred others have been hospitalized for food poisoning symptoms, a local English newspaper reported on Tuesday. The African newspaper quoted the Singida Regional Commissioner as confirming the deaths. The incident occurred on Nov. 30 this year when the pupils at a Primary School fell ill after having their school meals cooked from relief food. The regional commissioner told the newspaper that the school cook and five other adults also fell ill after having taken the same meal.
Nigeria - Cholera (Rivers)
1 Dec 2007
Nigerian Tribune [edited]
According to this story, the people of Ajakajak community in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have cried out to the state government to rescue them from a cholera outbreak, which has claimed the lives of more than 11 children. A local source reported that the outbreak was spreading to some other communities in the area. Other sources from Ajakajak informed that records at the community's health centre confirmed that the figure given was for last week alone and that more cases had come in this week. It was gathered that the epidemic was spreading very fast and that about 30 persons had died so far. "It was on Nov. 30 this year when 72 pupils started purging and vomiting after eating the relief food," said the commissioner who added that samples of the relief food had been taken to the government chief chemist in Dar es Salaam for analysis.
November 2007
Nigeria - Cholera (Plateau)
29 Nov 2007
Reuters Africa [edited]
According to this story, at least 14 people have died and scores of others are hospitalized following an outbreak of cholera in the central Nigerian state of Plateau, a government official said on Thu 29 Nov 2007. The Commissioner for Health said the waterborne disease broke out in the remote district of Bokkos last week [19-25 Nov 2007] but was reported late to the authorities as when it started, the affected people thought it was a strange ailment and refused to go to hospital.
Mozambique - Cholera
28 Nov 2007
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo) [edited]
According to Mozambican Health Minister, four people have died out of the 222 cases of cholera diagnosed in Maputo city and province since the current outbreak began in October 2007. The Minister pointed out that in the 1st 10 years after Mozambican independence in 1975, there were no cholera outbreaks, even though living standards were lower than they are now. He attributed this success to the post-independence health education campaigns, to the regular days of voluntary cleaning of city neighborhoods, and to the close links then between the Health Ministry and local communities. But with the passage of time, the close ties between health staff and communities declined, and increased population put huge stresses on the city water and sanitation systems. There are now cases of urban neighborhoods with one latrine for more than 20 households.
Mozambique - Cholera (Zambezia)
27 Nov 2007
News24 [edited]
It is reported that health authorities in the central Zambezia province in Mozambique were on high alert after the deaths last week of 2 people out of more than 20 reported cases of cholera. Health authorities in the Chire region of Morrumbala district have increased the amount of diagnostic equipment used in the treatment of cholera in the districts of the province located near the Malawian border. In October 2007, health authorities reported the death of 2 people in the same province, while another 6 were hospitalised in the same district. Authorities blamed the occurrence of the transmittable disease on the consumption of contaminated water. Cholera outbreaks had often been reported in Mozambique's rural and urban centers during the rainy season, which began in November 2007.
Angola – Bromide
21 Nov 2007
World Health Organization [edited]
The investigation of an outbreak of unknown origin in Angola has revealed extremely high levels of bromide in plasma sampled from several affected patients. As of 19 Nov 2007, over 390 cases had been identified and treated at the Municipal Hospital in Cacuaco. About 64 percent of those affected are children under 15 years old. Toxicological tests carried out in Munich, Germany detected very high levels of bromide in 5 out of 6 plasma samples taken from affected patients. Bromide intoxication has been one of the working hypotheses being explored by WHO and partners as a cause of the outbreak. The laboratory results provide an important focus for testing on human, environmental and food samples to confirm these bromide levels. Additional samples are currently on the way to a laboratory in the UK for testing for bromides. On Wed 21 Nov 2007, WHO deployed further technical and operational support to assist Angolan health authorities, including a field coordinator, a clinician, 2 epidemiologists, a food safety expert, a laboratory specialist, and a logistician. This team will support further epidemiological studies, case management, social mobilization and risk communication, environmental investigations and laboratory testing to confirm the cause of the outbreak and to support response and control measures.
Congo DR-Uganda border - (Rukwanzi Island)
13 Nov 2007
AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) [edited]
According to this story, authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have ordered the partial evacuation of a disputed island in Lake Albert, Rukwanzi Island. The island lies on a poorly-defined border separating DRC and Uganda, and health workers have been unable to tackle a cholera outbreak there partly because of security concerns linked to the discovery of oil. Since 5 Oct 2007, police on the island have reported 57 cases of cholera with 3 fatalities, with things getting worse. Rukwanzi, with an area of 12 sq km, is home to about 3000 people, mostly fishermen and their families. The recent discovery of oil under Lake Albert has exacerbated the territorial dispute.
Related stories
16 Nov 2007 - Congo DR - Cholera (Orientale)
Agence France-Presse (AFP) [edited]
According to a WHO official, some 272 cases of cholera, including 8 deaths, have been detected since the beginning of September [2007] in a north eastern district of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The cases have occurred in the Tchomia health zone within the Ituri district. Numerous cases have been detected on the small island of Rukwanzi in Lake Albert, recently inhabited by fishermen and their families and where there is neither a health center nor latrine, said a local official. Congolese police have begun evacuating the families from the island and sending them back to their villages of origin. The cholera outbreak in the region has essentially been due to a lack of drinkable water, forcing residents to consume non-treated water from Lake Albert.
Mozambique - Cholera (Cabo Delgado)
13 Nov 2007
Reuters Africa [edited]
According to health authorities, a total of 15 people have died and hundreds of others have been admitted to hospital following an outbreak of cholera in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. The provincial chief doctor said that at least 400 new cases have been reported in the past 2 weeks in Cabo Delgado.The new outbreak has been blamed on contaminated water and poor sanitary conditions. Health authorities in Cabo Delgado have warned that the outbreak could rise as the rainy season reaches its peak, particularly in the Impirre district, where most of the 15 deaths occurred.
Sudan - Cholera, Ugandan rebels -: (Western Equatoria)
9 Nov 2007
Agence France-Presse (AFP) [edited]
An outbreak of cholera has swept a camp housing Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), infecting its leader Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti, and scores of fighters, a spokesman said. The outbreak, caused by recent flooding and poor sanitation in the Sudan-Democratic Republic of Congo frontier hideout, was 1st reported in September 2007, but details of fatalities remain unclear. Scores of LRA fighters were seen Thursday [8 Nov 2007] buying medicine in the border outpost of Nabanga, according to a top official from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), which governs the semi-autonomous region of southern Sudan.There were no reports of fatalities.
Zimbabwe - Diarrhea (Matabeleland North)
7 Nov 2007
Reuters Foundation AlertNet, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) report [edited]
According to this story, more than 3000 cases of diarrhea have been reported in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's 2nd city, in the last 2 months, as residents struggle with water shortages. Since the outbreak was 1st reported in August 2007, the city has experienced a 10-fold increase in cases, from 300 to 3600, up to the 2nd week of November 2007. Low rainfall and an inability to keep up with the demands of a growing population in a depressed economic environment have left many of Bulawayo's 1.5 million residents in the grip of water shortages and often having to obtain water from unprotected sources. The Health Minister his ministry was monitoring the situation in Bulawayo and Harare, where diarrhea outbreaks have also been registered.
Uganda - Cholera (Nebbi)
5 Nov 2007
The Monitor [edited]
According to this story, a fresh outbreak of cholera has hit 3 Nebbi subcounties of Panyimur, Parombo, and Akworo and has left 42 infected. The Nebbi District health educator was quoted as saying that a soldier from Angumu detach in Panyimur and a Congolese national were the 1st victims of the outbreak. He said the most affected parishes include Parwo and Pangere in Parombo, Uguta and Kituna in Akworo.
Related stories
26 Nov 2007 - Cholera in Nebbi
AllAfrica.com and The Monitor (Kampala) [edited]
According to this story, more cases of the recent cholera outbreak in Panyimur Sub-county of Nebbi have been reported, with the number of victims now at 162. One person had already been reported dead. The District Health Inspector said poor hygiene and sanitation is escalating the spread of the deadly disease. He said most cases are emerging from neighboring DR Congo, where there is lack of health facilities and he added that some cholera victims in Congo are fleeing into the area in search of medical facilities. Most affected parishes include Parwo and Pangere in Parombo, Uguta and Kituna in Akworo and Nyakagei parish in Panyimur Subcounty. According to the latest statistics, Dei centre has 59 cases; Panyimur HC III has 22 cases, while Parombo and Akworo sub counties registered 81 cases. A fresh outbreak of the disease was 1st reported in Akworo, Parombo and Panyimur, with 42 cases. As a result of the poor hygiene and sanitation, there has been a sharp increase in cholera cases in the last 3 weeks. He said the lakeshores of Dei are the most affected areas, since there is poor waste disposal in the area. At Dei center, 8 to 10 cases are reportedly registered daily.
South Africa - Diarrhea (Mpumalanga)
2 Nov 2007
Mail & Guardian [edited]
A total of 150 people were treated for diarrhea in the Nkangala area in Delmas since the outbreak last week. Mpumalanga provincial minister of health and social services was quoted as saying that 150 cases had been reported to outpatient facilities for treatment but that at this point in time, no deaths linked to diarrhea had been reported .The provincial minister added that since the outbreak of diarrhea was noted, various laboratory tests had been carried out to identify the presence of any bacteria that might be responsible for the disorder. The area was hit by a typhoid outbreak in September 2005 and 4 people died as a result. However, the provincial minister said the current situation could not be linked to the previous one. He said, however, that if such evidence was obtained through various tests currently under way, the public would be informed.
Related stories
7 Nov 2007 - Diarrhea in Mpumalanga
IOL (Independent Online, South Africa) [edited]
According to the health department; more than 400 people have received medical treatment in the Nkangala area in Delmas, Mpumalanga, since a diarrhea outbreak began there 2 weeks ago. According to a spokesperson, the number of patients treated for diarrhea came up to 425 and most cases were reported over the weekend. He added that most of the patients treated at the clinics were toddlers and that they had not yet identified the cause of the disorder. He said no deaths had been reported yet.
11 Nov 2007 - SABC News
Congo DR - Cholera, refugee camps (North Kivu)
1 Nov 2007
AllAfrica, Reuters Africa report [edited]
According to this story, a cholera outbreak in Congo's eastern city of Goma is raising fears of an epidemic among tens of thousands of refugees in camps. Fighting between government soldiers, Tutsi insurgents, Rwandan Hutu rebels, and local Mai Mai militia has forced more than 370,000 to flee villages in North Kivu province in 2007 alone. More than 45,000 displaced people now live in 5 overcrowded camps on the edge of Goma where aid agencies are struggling to maintain minimum hygiene standards. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it recorded 533 cases of cholera at health centers it supports, in both the camps and Goma, over the past 6 weeks.
Related stories
9 Nov 2007 - Cholera, refugee camps - (North Kivu)
Reuters Foundation AlertNet, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report [edited]
UNHCR and its partners have stepped up this week efforts to curb the spread of cholera which broke out in early October 2007 in 5 camps hosting some 45,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Mugunga area west of Goma in the troubled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to health workers, by the end of October 2007, there were a total of 439 suspected cases of cholera, 189 of them reported over a 5-day period (24-28 Oct 2007). The latest reports from the camps indicate that the cholera situation appears to be stabilizing as the number of new suspected cases is slightly dropping.
12 Nov 2007 - Reuters Foundation AlertNet, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report
October 2007
Congo DR - Cholera (Congo DR-Uganda border)
24 Oct 2007
Independent Online [edited]
UN agencies have reported that the latest clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo have driven 33 000 more people from villages in Nord-Kivu province and a cholera outbreak is suspected. About 25 000 people have been uprooted in the rugged Rutshuru highlands about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the provincial capital Goma and 8000 others have fled over the border into Uganda, UN officials estimated. At Bunagana, a settlement on the border, officials had noted 2 cases of suspected cholera, a fast-spreading water-borne disease, leading the UN HCR to urge people to move out of the zone to the "transit center with adequate health facilities."
Mozambique – Cholera (Zambezia)
23 Oct 2007
Independent Online [edited]
A cholera outbreak in Mozambique's central province of Zambezia reported this week has resulted in the death of 2 people and the hospitalisation of another 6. A local Radio has reported that the outbreak in the rural district of Morrumbala near the Malawian border was due to the consumption of contaminated water. The station said out of the 29 cases reported in that province this week, 6 people who remained in the hospital were in a stable condition..
Angola - Cholera (Benguela)
19 Oct 2007
AllAfrica, Angola Press Agency (ANGOP, Luanda) report [edited]
According to this story, out of the 14 cases recorded in Balombo, southwestern Benguela Province, in the last 6 days, one person died of cholera. In the mentioned period, 9 patients were discharged and others are still in hospital under medical care. At least 8 people died out of the 188 cases recorded between 6 Sept 2006 and 15 Oct 2007, informed a source with the local health authorities.
Somalia – Cholera
15 Oct 2007
United Nations [edited]
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an imminent risk of cholera in southern Somalia. Seven new cases have been confirmed so far in the capital, Mogadishu, as well as in Berdale and Burhakaba. WHO says the new cases represent an even more serious threat than the outbreak that occurred 3 months ago and which affected more than 37 000 people and led to over 1100 deaths. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has begun delivering cholera kits and oral re-hydration therapy supplies to the area. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the flood alert was raised from moderate to high on the Shabelle and Juba rivers following significant rainfall in South Somalia and the Ethiopian highlands where the 2 rivers originate. An inter-agency mission to assess the situation and possible interventions are being planned.
Angola - Cholera (Kwanza Sul)
15 Oct 2007
AllAfrica.com and Angola Press Agency (Luanda) [edited]
According to this story, 34 cases of cholera, resulting in 10 deaths were reported over the last 10 days in Wako-Kungo region, Cela district, in the coastal Kwanza Sul province. According to the balance report of the municipal health division, the cases were registered in the outskirts of Wako-Kungo city. The note also stated that local health officials are actively engaged in tracking down cholera cases in the region, conducting house to house distribution of calcium hypochlorite, sensitizing the communities on the dangers of the epidemic disease, as well as holding some upgrading courses to benefit technicians, chieftains and religious authorities, among others.
Nigeria - Cholera – Bauchi
12 Oct 2007
The Tide [edited]
No fewer than 5 persons, including 2 women, 2 children and a middle-aged man, were killed in Bauchi Sun 7 Oct 2007, by cholera. The Secretary to the state's branch of the Nigerian Red Cross confirmed the deaths. He told newsmen in Bauchi that about 35 other persons had been infected by the epidemic, adding that the victims were currently responding to treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi. The Secretary said also that a special unit had been created at the hospital for the treatment of infected persons. He added that the epidemic was more pronounced in Gwallaga, Korar Ran, Kofar Durmi, and Bakin Kura areas of the metropolis. He attributed the outbreak to poor sanitary condition in the metropolis, adding that the various flood disasters experienced in the area in 2007, had also contributed to the outbreak.
Related stories
17 Oct 2007 - Nigeria - Cholera (Bauchi)
The Vanguard [edited]
About 7 people have died in Bauchi State owing to a gastroenteritis outbreak, while over 60 people are currently infected with the disease in the state. This was disclosed by the Secretary of Nigeria Red Cross Society Bauchi State Chapter. He stated further that those infected with the deadly disease are receiving treatment in various health institutions in the state.
Nigeria – Cholera - (Benue)
12 Oct 2007
AllAfrica.com, Daily Trust (Abuja) report [edited]
According to this story, a total of 5 persons have lost their lives from a suspected outbreak of cholera in parts of Makurdi, the Benue state capital. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that communities where deaths have been recorded included Idye Village, Logo 2, and Wadata suburb of Makurdi, areas where pipe-borne-water could be regarded as "liquid gold." At a hospital in Wadata suburb, which is host to Hausa community resident in Makurdi, a medical doctor told newsmen that the hospital recorded the death of a 12-year-old girl on Sat 6 Oct 2007. The doctor added that the hospital was inundated on a daily basis with people who might have contracted the disease and warned people to be cautious about the water they drank and food they ate.
West Africa - Cholera, diarrhea
7 Oct 2007
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ReliefWeb, WHO [edited]
In Niger, from January to August 2007, 13 276 cases and 6 deaths were reported due to diarrhea. This is almost double as compared to the year 2006 at the same period; 24 cases and 2 deaths due to cholera were reported in July 2007. In Togo, the Togolese Red Cross reports elevated numbers of people suffering from gastroenteritis. In Sierra Leone, the MoH reported 523 cases of acute watery diarrhea with 30 deaths in the Kambia district since early September 2007.
Senegal - Cholera
4 Oct 2007
XinhuaNet [edited]
According to the local press, the Senegalese national Health Director told on Thursday [4 Oct 2007] that 1060 new cholera cases have been reported across several regions in the country and that the upsurge in new cases could be attributed to the fact that the country was experiencing a dry season and unhygienic practices. He also specified that there are 6 regions which have been affected, including Saint-Louis, Touba, Louga, Thies, Dakar, and Diourbel, describing the situation as "alarming." According to a local newspaper, the worst-hit areas are Touba with 222 cases, Mbacke with 79, Bambey with 20, Louga with 48 and Saint-Louis with over 30.
Related stories
22 Oct 2007 - Senegal - Cholera
AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) report [edited]
As the number of cholera cases in Senegal in 2007 tops 2000, Red Cross and UN officials say not enough has changed since a huge epidemic 2 years ago that affected more than 30,000 people and killed 450. According to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), 12 deaths and 2231 cases of cholera have been registered since the beginning of August 2007 in 6 regions of the country.The Red Cross will train 240 volunteers who will lead awareness activities in different communities. It will also distribute disinfectant, antimicrobial soap, bowls, buckets, and measuring cups to families in Diourbel, Dakar, Louga, Saint Louis, Fatick, and Kaolack, where cases have emerged. According to the IFRC's regional health manager for Sahel countries, cholera cases appeared only sporadically and were easily contained until the rainy season began in July [2007] and floodwaters began pouring down on Senegal and other West African nations. The movement of people across cities and regions was another important factor.
26 Oct 2007 - UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ReliefWeb, Int. Fed. of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies report (IFRC)
Sierra Leone - Cholera - (Northern, Western Areas)
3 Oct 2007
AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) report [edited]
According to this story, a deadly cholera epidemic has broken out in several regions of Sierra Leone. Since the 1st week of September 2007, at least 523 people have been infected in Kambia district in northern Sierra Leone, close to the border with Guinea, and in the eastern town of Kenema, and Newton on the outskirts of the capital Freetown, according to the Ministry of Health. 30 people died from the disease in September [2007], the Ministry said. The district medical officer for Kenema said that people are reluctant to seek treatment when they get sick as they do not have confidence in public hospitals. He also said that most of the people infected are women. They are more exposed to the disease, he said, because they fetch water from streams and work in crowded markets. In 2006, 2560 cholera cases were recorded in Sierra Leone during the rainy season between August and October, with 77 deaths. Less than 50 percent of people outside Freetown have access to clean water and toilets, according to the UN, and most depend on streams and rainfall for their drinking water.
29 Nov 2007
Reuters Africa [edited]
According to this story, at least 14 people have died and scores of others are hospitalized following an outbreak of cholera in the central Nigerian state of Plateau, a government official said on Thu 29 Nov 2007. The Commissioner for Health said the waterborne disease broke out in the remote district of Bokkos last week [19-25 Nov 2007] but was reported late to the authorities as when it started, the affected people thought it was a strange ailment and refused to go to hospital.
Mozambique - Cholera
28 Nov 2007
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo) [edited]
According to Mozambican Health Minister, four people have died out of the 222 cases of cholera diagnosed in Maputo city and province since the current outbreak began in October 2007. The Minister pointed out that in the 1st 10 years after Mozambican independence in 1975, there were no cholera outbreaks, even though living standards were lower than they are now. He attributed this success to the post-independence health education campaigns, to the regular days of voluntary cleaning of city neighborhoods, and to the close links then between the Health Ministry and local communities. But with the passage of time, the close ties between health staff and communities declined, and increased population put huge stresses on the city water and sanitation systems. There are now cases of urban neighborhoods with one latrine for more than 20 households.
Mozambique - Cholera (Zambezia)
27 Nov 2007
News24 [edited]
It is reported that health authorities in the central Zambezia province in Mozambique were on high alert after the deaths last week of 2 people out of more than 20 reported cases of cholera. Health authorities in the Chire region of Morrumbala district have increased the amount of diagnostic equipment used in the treatment of cholera in the districts of the province located near the Malawian border. In October 2007, health authorities reported the death of 2 people in the same province, while another 6 were hospitalised in the same district. Authorities blamed the occurrence of the transmittable disease on the consumption of contaminated water. Cholera outbreaks had often been reported in Mozambique's rural and urban centers during the rainy season, which began in November 2007.
Angola – Bromide
21 Nov 2007
World Health Organization [edited]
The investigation of an outbreak of unknown origin in Angola has revealed extremely high levels of bromide in plasma sampled from several affected patients. As of 19 Nov 2007, over 390 cases had been identified and treated at the Municipal Hospital in Cacuaco. About 64 percent of those affected are children under 15 years old. Toxicological tests carried out in Munich, Germany detected very high levels of bromide in 5 out of 6 plasma samples taken from affected patients. Bromide intoxication has been one of the working hypotheses being explored by WHO and partners as a cause of the outbreak. The laboratory results provide an important focus for testing on human, environmental and food samples to confirm these bromide levels. Additional samples are currently on the way to a laboratory in the UK for testing for bromides. On Wed 21 Nov 2007, WHO deployed further technical and operational support to assist Angolan health authorities, including a field coordinator, a clinician, 2 epidemiologists, a food safety expert, a laboratory specialist, and a logistician. This team will support further epidemiological studies, case management, social mobilization and risk communication, environmental investigations and laboratory testing to confirm the cause of the outbreak and to support response and control measures.
Congo DR-Uganda border - (Rukwanzi Island)
13 Nov 2007
AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) [edited]
According to this story, authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have ordered the partial evacuation of a disputed island in Lake Albert, Rukwanzi Island. The island lies on a poorly-defined border separating DRC and Uganda, and health workers have been unable to tackle a cholera outbreak there partly because of security concerns linked to the discovery of oil. Since 5 Oct 2007, police on the island have reported 57 cases of cholera with 3 fatalities, with things getting worse. Rukwanzi, with an area of 12 sq km, is home to about 3000 people, mostly fishermen and their families. The recent discovery of oil under Lake Albert has exacerbated the territorial dispute.
Related stories
16 Nov 2007 - Congo DR - Cholera (Orientale)
Agence France-Presse (AFP) [edited]
According to a WHO official, some 272 cases of cholera, including 8 deaths, have been detected since the beginning of September [2007] in a north eastern district of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The cases have occurred in the Tchomia health zone within the Ituri district. Numerous cases have been detected on the small island of Rukwanzi in Lake Albert, recently inhabited by fishermen and their families and where there is neither a health center nor latrine, said a local official. Congolese police have begun evacuating the families from the island and sending them back to their villages of origin. The cholera outbreak in the region has essentially been due to a lack of drinkable water, forcing residents to consume non-treated water from Lake Albert.
Mozambique - Cholera (Cabo Delgado)
13 Nov 2007
Reuters Africa [edited]
According to health authorities, a total of 15 people have died and hundreds of others have been admitted to hospital following an outbreak of cholera in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado. The provincial chief doctor said that at least 400 new cases have been reported in the past 2 weeks in Cabo Delgado.The new outbreak has been blamed on contaminated water and poor sanitary conditions. Health authorities in Cabo Delgado have warned that the outbreak could rise as the rainy season reaches its peak, particularly in the Impirre district, where most of the 15 deaths occurred.
Sudan - Cholera, Ugandan rebels -: (Western Equatoria)
9 Nov 2007
Agence France-Presse (AFP) [edited]
An outbreak of cholera has swept a camp housing Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), infecting its leader Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti, and scores of fighters, a spokesman said. The outbreak, caused by recent flooding and poor sanitation in the Sudan-Democratic Republic of Congo frontier hideout, was 1st reported in September 2007, but details of fatalities remain unclear. Scores of LRA fighters were seen Thursday [8 Nov 2007] buying medicine in the border outpost of Nabanga, according to a top official from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), which governs the semi-autonomous region of southern Sudan.There were no reports of fatalities.
Zimbabwe - Diarrhea (Matabeleland North)
7 Nov 2007
Reuters Foundation AlertNet, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) report [edited]
According to this story, more than 3000 cases of diarrhea have been reported in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's 2nd city, in the last 2 months, as residents struggle with water shortages. Since the outbreak was 1st reported in August 2007, the city has experienced a 10-fold increase in cases, from 300 to 3600, up to the 2nd week of November 2007. Low rainfall and an inability to keep up with the demands of a growing population in a depressed economic environment have left many of Bulawayo's 1.5 million residents in the grip of water shortages and often having to obtain water from unprotected sources. The Health Minister his ministry was monitoring the situation in Bulawayo and Harare, where diarrhea outbreaks have also been registered.
Uganda - Cholera (Nebbi)
5 Nov 2007
The Monitor [edited]
According to this story, a fresh outbreak of cholera has hit 3 Nebbi subcounties of Panyimur, Parombo, and Akworo and has left 42 infected. The Nebbi District health educator was quoted as saying that a soldier from Angumu detach in Panyimur and a Congolese national were the 1st victims of the outbreak. He said the most affected parishes include Parwo and Pangere in Parombo, Uguta and Kituna in Akworo.
Related stories
26 Nov 2007 - Cholera in Nebbi
AllAfrica.com and The Monitor (Kampala) [edited]
According to this story, more cases of the recent cholera outbreak in Panyimur Sub-county of Nebbi have been reported, with the number of victims now at 162. One person had already been reported dead. The District Health Inspector said poor hygiene and sanitation is escalating the spread of the deadly disease. He said most cases are emerging from neighboring DR Congo, where there is lack of health facilities and he added that some cholera victims in Congo are fleeing into the area in search of medical facilities. Most affected parishes include Parwo and Pangere in Parombo, Uguta and Kituna in Akworo and Nyakagei parish in Panyimur Subcounty. According to the latest statistics, Dei centre has 59 cases; Panyimur HC III has 22 cases, while Parombo and Akworo sub counties registered 81 cases. A fresh outbreak of the disease was 1st reported in Akworo, Parombo and Panyimur, with 42 cases. As a result of the poor hygiene and sanitation, there has been a sharp increase in cholera cases in the last 3 weeks. He said the lakeshores of Dei are the most affected areas, since there is poor waste disposal in the area. At Dei center, 8 to 10 cases are reportedly registered daily.
South Africa - Diarrhea (Mpumalanga)
2 Nov 2007
Mail & Guardian [edited]
A total of 150 people were treated for diarrhea in the Nkangala area in Delmas since the outbreak last week. Mpumalanga provincial minister of health and social services was quoted as saying that 150 cases had been reported to outpatient facilities for treatment but that at this point in time, no deaths linked to diarrhea had been reported .The provincial minister added that since the outbreak of diarrhea was noted, various laboratory tests had been carried out to identify the presence of any bacteria that might be responsible for the disorder. The area was hit by a typhoid outbreak in September 2005 and 4 people died as a result. However, the provincial minister said the current situation could not be linked to the previous one. He said, however, that if such evidence was obtained through various tests currently under way, the public would be informed.
Related stories
7 Nov 2007 - Diarrhea in Mpumalanga
IOL (Independent Online, South Africa) [edited]
According to the health department; more than 400 people have received medical treatment in the Nkangala area in Delmas, Mpumalanga, since a diarrhea outbreak began there 2 weeks ago. According to a spokesperson, the number of patients treated for diarrhea came up to 425 and most cases were reported over the weekend. He added that most of the patients treated at the clinics were toddlers and that they had not yet identified the cause of the disorder. He said no deaths had been reported yet.
11 Nov 2007 - SABC News
Congo DR - Cholera, refugee camps (North Kivu)
1 Nov 2007
AllAfrica, Reuters Africa report [edited]
According to this story, a cholera outbreak in Congo's eastern city of Goma is raising fears of an epidemic among tens of thousands of refugees in camps. Fighting between government soldiers, Tutsi insurgents, Rwandan Hutu rebels, and local Mai Mai militia has forced more than 370,000 to flee villages in North Kivu province in 2007 alone. More than 45,000 displaced people now live in 5 overcrowded camps on the edge of Goma where aid agencies are struggling to maintain minimum hygiene standards. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it recorded 533 cases of cholera at health centers it supports, in both the camps and Goma, over the past 6 weeks.
Related stories
9 Nov 2007 - Cholera, refugee camps - (North Kivu)
Reuters Foundation AlertNet, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report [edited]
UNHCR and its partners have stepped up this week efforts to curb the spread of cholera which broke out in early October 2007 in 5 camps hosting some 45,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Mugunga area west of Goma in the troubled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to health workers, by the end of October 2007, there were a total of 439 suspected cases of cholera, 189 of them reported over a 5-day period (24-28 Oct 2007). The latest reports from the camps indicate that the cholera situation appears to be stabilizing as the number of new suspected cases is slightly dropping.
12 Nov 2007 - Reuters Foundation AlertNet, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report
October 2007
Congo DR - Cholera (Congo DR-Uganda border)
24 Oct 2007
Independent Online [edited]
UN agencies have reported that the latest clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo have driven 33 000 more people from villages in Nord-Kivu province and a cholera outbreak is suspected. About 25 000 people have been uprooted in the rugged Rutshuru highlands about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the provincial capital Goma and 8000 others have fled over the border into Uganda, UN officials estimated. At Bunagana, a settlement on the border, officials had noted 2 cases of suspected cholera, a fast-spreading water-borne disease, leading the UN HCR to urge people to move out of the zone to the "transit center with adequate health facilities."
Mozambique – Cholera (Zambezia)
23 Oct 2007
Independent Online [edited]
A cholera outbreak in Mozambique's central province of Zambezia reported this week has resulted in the death of 2 people and the hospitalisation of another 6. A local Radio has reported that the outbreak in the rural district of Morrumbala near the Malawian border was due to the consumption of contaminated water. The station said out of the 29 cases reported in that province this week, 6 people who remained in the hospital were in a stable condition..
Angola - Cholera (Benguela)
19 Oct 2007
AllAfrica, Angola Press Agency (ANGOP, Luanda) report [edited]
According to this story, out of the 14 cases recorded in Balombo, southwestern Benguela Province, in the last 6 days, one person died of cholera. In the mentioned period, 9 patients were discharged and others are still in hospital under medical care. At least 8 people died out of the 188 cases recorded between 6 Sept 2006 and 15 Oct 2007, informed a source with the local health authorities.
Somalia – Cholera
15 Oct 2007
United Nations [edited]
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an imminent risk of cholera in southern Somalia. Seven new cases have been confirmed so far in the capital, Mogadishu, as well as in Berdale and Burhakaba. WHO says the new cases represent an even more serious threat than the outbreak that occurred 3 months ago and which affected more than 37 000 people and led to over 1100 deaths. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has begun delivering cholera kits and oral re-hydration therapy supplies to the area. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the flood alert was raised from moderate to high on the Shabelle and Juba rivers following significant rainfall in South Somalia and the Ethiopian highlands where the 2 rivers originate. An inter-agency mission to assess the situation and possible interventions are being planned.
Angola - Cholera (Kwanza Sul)
15 Oct 2007
AllAfrica.com and Angola Press Agency (Luanda) [edited]
According to this story, 34 cases of cholera, resulting in 10 deaths were reported over the last 10 days in Wako-Kungo region, Cela district, in the coastal Kwanza Sul province. According to the balance report of the municipal health division, the cases were registered in the outskirts of Wako-Kungo city. The note also stated that local health officials are actively engaged in tracking down cholera cases in the region, conducting house to house distribution of calcium hypochlorite, sensitizing the communities on the dangers of the epidemic disease, as well as holding some upgrading courses to benefit technicians, chieftains and religious authorities, among others.
Nigeria - Cholera – Bauchi
12 Oct 2007
The Tide [edited]
No fewer than 5 persons, including 2 women, 2 children and a middle-aged man, were killed in Bauchi Sun 7 Oct 2007, by cholera. The Secretary to the state's branch of the Nigerian Red Cross confirmed the deaths. He told newsmen in Bauchi that about 35 other persons had been infected by the epidemic, adding that the victims were currently responding to treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi. The Secretary said also that a special unit had been created at the hospital for the treatment of infected persons. He added that the epidemic was more pronounced in Gwallaga, Korar Ran, Kofar Durmi, and Bakin Kura areas of the metropolis. He attributed the outbreak to poor sanitary condition in the metropolis, adding that the various flood disasters experienced in the area in 2007, had also contributed to the outbreak.
Related stories
17 Oct 2007 - Nigeria - Cholera (Bauchi)
The Vanguard [edited]
About 7 people have died in Bauchi State owing to a gastroenteritis outbreak, while over 60 people are currently infected with the disease in the state. This was disclosed by the Secretary of Nigeria Red Cross Society Bauchi State Chapter. He stated further that those infected with the deadly disease are receiving treatment in various health institutions in the state.
Nigeria – Cholera - (Benue)
12 Oct 2007
AllAfrica.com, Daily Trust (Abuja) report [edited]
According to this story, a total of 5 persons have lost their lives from a suspected outbreak of cholera in parts of Makurdi, the Benue state capital. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that communities where deaths have been recorded included Idye Village, Logo 2, and Wadata suburb of Makurdi, areas where pipe-borne-water could be regarded as "liquid gold." At a hospital in Wadata suburb, which is host to Hausa community resident in Makurdi, a medical doctor told newsmen that the hospital recorded the death of a 12-year-old girl on Sat 6 Oct 2007. The doctor added that the hospital was inundated on a daily basis with people who might have contracted the disease and warned people to be cautious about the water they drank and food they ate.
West Africa - Cholera, diarrhea
7 Oct 2007
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ReliefWeb, WHO [edited]
In Niger, from January to August 2007, 13 276 cases and 6 deaths were reported due to diarrhea. This is almost double as compared to the year 2006 at the same period; 24 cases and 2 deaths due to cholera were reported in July 2007. In Togo, the Togolese Red Cross reports elevated numbers of people suffering from gastroenteritis. In Sierra Leone, the MoH reported 523 cases of acute watery diarrhea with 30 deaths in the Kambia district since early September 2007.
Senegal - Cholera
4 Oct 2007
XinhuaNet [edited]
According to the local press, the Senegalese national Health Director told on Thursday [4 Oct 2007] that 1060 new cholera cases have been reported across several regions in the country and that the upsurge in new cases could be attributed to the fact that the country was experiencing a dry season and unhygienic practices. He also specified that there are 6 regions which have been affected, including Saint-Louis, Touba, Louga, Thies, Dakar, and Diourbel, describing the situation as "alarming." According to a local newspaper, the worst-hit areas are Touba with 222 cases, Mbacke with 79, Bambey with 20, Louga with 48 and Saint-Louis with over 30.
Related stories
22 Oct 2007 - Senegal - Cholera
AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) report [edited]
As the number of cholera cases in Senegal in 2007 tops 2000, Red Cross and UN officials say not enough has changed since a huge epidemic 2 years ago that affected more than 30,000 people and killed 450. According to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), 12 deaths and 2231 cases of cholera have been registered since the beginning of August 2007 in 6 regions of the country.The Red Cross will train 240 volunteers who will lead awareness activities in different communities. It will also distribute disinfectant, antimicrobial soap, bowls, buckets, and measuring cups to families in Diourbel, Dakar, Louga, Saint Louis, Fatick, and Kaolack, where cases have emerged. According to the IFRC's regional health manager for Sahel countries, cholera cases appeared only sporadically and were easily contained until the rainy season began in July [2007] and floodwaters began pouring down on Senegal and other West African nations. The movement of people across cities and regions was another important factor.
26 Oct 2007 - UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ReliefWeb, Int. Fed. of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies report (IFRC)
Sierra Leone - Cholera - (Northern, Western Areas)
3 Oct 2007
AllAfrica, UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) report [edited]
According to this story, a deadly cholera epidemic has broken out in several regions of Sierra Leone. Since the 1st week of September 2007, at least 523 people have been infected in Kambia district in northern Sierra Leone, close to the border with Guinea, and in the eastern town of Kenema, and Newton on the outskirts of the capital Freetown, according to the Ministry of Health. 30 people died from the disease in September [2007], the Ministry said. The district medical officer for Kenema said that people are reluctant to seek treatment when they get sick as they do not have confidence in public hospitals. He also said that most of the people infected are women. They are more exposed to the disease, he said, because they fetch water from streams and work in crowded markets. In 2006, 2560 cholera cases were recorded in Sierra Leone during the rainy season between August and October, with 77 deaths. Less than 50 percent of people outside Freetown have access to clean water and toilets, according to the UN, and most depend on streams and rainfall for their drinking water.
September 2007
Angola - Cholera - (Benguela)
28 Sep 2007
AllAfrica.com, Angola Press Agency (Luanda) report [edited]
According to this story, 3 cases of cholera were recorded over the last 24 hours [27-28 Sept 2007] in Balombo District hospital, raising the figure to 90 since the outbreak began. A source with the mentioned hospital informed that the cases did not end up in death. The same source added that 21 patients are still in hospital due to this illness and 8 have already been discharged.
Sierra Leone - Cholera - (Northern, Western Areas)
27 Sep 2007
IOL (Independent Online, South Africa) [edited]
According to a government health official, at least 20 people have died from cholera in the past 2 weeks in the poverty-stricken West African country of Sierra Leone. The director of disease prevention and control in the ministry of health said 15 of the deaths were recorded in the northern district of Kambia, near the border with Guinea, while 5 were registered in a village on the outskirts of the capital Freetown. Emergency health workers have been drafted to both areas to step up treatment and prevention campaigns to stem the outbreak that has struck dozens of people, he told reporters.
Uganda - Cholera
20 Sep 2007
AllAfrica, The Monitor (Kampala) report [edited]
According to this story, an outbreak of cholera in the West Nile district of Nyadri (in Arua) has killed one person and left 8 others hospitalized. The officer in charge of Maracha Health sub-district has said that 5 of the 8 cases reported at Maracha Health Centre were Congolese. Olufe and Oleba sub-counties that border the DRC are said to be the most affected areas. Meanwhile, reports from Hoima that the district is also worried of a possible outbreak of the disease, especially in areas around the shores of Lake Albert.
Senegal - Cholera - (Saint-Louis)
AllAfrica, Agence de Presse Senegalaise (Dakar) report [in French, trans. Promed, edited]
News sources have reported around 15 cases of cholera since 18 Sept 2007 in Saint-Louis, notably in the neighborhoods of Pikine and Balacos. The same sources specified that 11 of the cases are now recovered. Administrative and sanitary authorities are trying to sensitize the population on the importance to adopt hygienic practices in their everyday life. Following a visit on Wed 26 Sept 2007, by the Director of Medical Prevention, further control plans are being formulated.
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