from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
DRC Bureau
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – THE outbreaks of cholera are easing in Southern and the Horn of Africa.
However, the situation is worsening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where an average of over 900 cases are reported each week with an upward trend observed in some provinces such as North-Kivu and Tanganyika.
“The ongoing security concerns and the displacement of population continue to be a challenge in the country,” said a spokesperson of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The agency has provided an update of the cholera outbreaks in Central, Horn of and Southern Africa.
The DRC remains a challenge as far as the water borne disease is concerned.
As of July 15, a total of 28 043 cases and 196 deaths were reported. From June 13 to July 15, some 3 749 cases and 40 deaths were reported.
While the majority of cases in 2023 were reported from North-Kivu, a surge in cases in South-Kivu and Tanganyika were observed in June and early July.
These increases were most prominent in health zones along the shores of Lake Tanganyika and Lake Kivu.
While incidence is now low in South-Kivu compared to its June surge, cases may be increasing in Tanganyika, where an average of 160 cases and 13 deaths have been reported per week between June 13 and July 15.
In Southern Africa, in Malawi, WHO has observed a downward trend in cases and deaths.
As of July 15, a total of 58 941 cases and 1766 deaths have been reported.
In the last four weeks, 73 new cases and four deaths were reported. This is a decrease of 67 percent in cases and 20 percent in deaths compared to the preceding four-week period.
In Mozambique, as of July 15, some 33 344 cases and 141 deaths have been reported.
The epidemiological situation is beginning to show signs of stabilization in almost the entire country.
In South Africa, after an upsurge of cases in mid-May, the situation has significantly improved, with no further geographic spread reported in the last four weeks.
As of July 9, a total of 1 274 cases, including 198 confirmed, and 44 deaths were reported.
There are improvements in Horn Africa as well.
In Kenya, since October 2022 and as of 13 July 2023, some 11 835 cases and 194 deaths have been reported.
In the last four weeks, 476 new cases and 10 new deaths have been reported, which indicates a decrease of 51 percent in cases and 44 percent in deaths, compared to the preceding four weeks.
– CAJ News