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Ethiopia: Cholera Outbreak - Jun 2019

Status
Past
Countries
Ethiopia
Disaster types
Epidemic

From 25 April to 6 June 2019, 424 cholera cases including at least 15 deaths (CFR: 3.5%) have been reported from five regions in Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa administrative city. This includes one additional region, Somali, which reported cases for the first time on 6 June. The most affected region is Amhara (198 cases, 47%), followed by Oromia (168 cases, 40%), Addis Ababa (15 cases, 3%), Somali (33 cases, 8%) and Tigray (10 cases, 2%). Of these cases, 13 were confirmed by culture (5 in Oromia, 4 in Addis Ababa, 2 in Amhara and 2 in Tigray)..[.] (WHO, 9 Jun 2019)

As of 19 June 2019, a total of 642 suspected cholera cases with associated 15 deaths (CFR 2.3%) have been reported from two administrative cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa and 4 regions of Amhara, Oromia, Somali and Tigray. The most affected regions are Oromia (306 cases), Amhara (204 cases) and Addis Ababa (81 cases). (WHO, 30 Jun 2019)

According to WHO Weekly Bulletin on Outbreaks and other Emergencies issued on 7 July 2019, from 25 April to 23 June 2019, 688 cholera cases, 23 confirmed and 15 associated deaths (Cholera case facility rate: 2.30%) have been reported from five regions in Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa administrative city. As of 7th July 2019, the number of regions affected by the cholera outbreak increased to seven (7). Afar and Diredawa regions are new regions to record and report cholera cases with the Afar region totalling 131 cases and one death. The most affected of all seven regions is Oromia (360 cases, 41%), followed by Amhara (202 cases, 23%), Afar (131 cases, 15%), Addis Ababa (125 cases, 14%), Somali (33 cases, 4%) and Tigray (19 cases, 2%). The main affected sub-cities of Addis Ababa are Kality and Addis Katema, which account for more than 50% of the cases reported in Addis Ababa. By 10 July 2019, the total number of deaths recorded was 17. Of these cases, 13 were confirmed by culture (5 in Oromia, 4 in Addis Ababa, 2 in Amhara and 2 in Tigray). The main identified risk factor is said to be the contaminated water sources. (IFRC, 16 Jul 2019)

In week 29 (week ending on 21 July 2019), eight new cases were reported compared to 68 case in week 28. There has been a decreasing trend of reported cases since week 26. A total of 1 005 suspected and 33 confirmed with associated 11 deaths have been reported in Ethiopia as of 21 July 2019. (WHO, 28 Jul 2019)

In week 38 (week ending 22 September 2019), 39 new suspected cases were reported in Hawassa town in SNNP. There has been an increasing trend of reported cases since week 31. As of 15 September 2019, a total of 1 325 suspected cases including 11 deaths have been reported from eight regions with Oromia (618 cases), Amhara (202 cases) and Addis Ababa city (157 cases) reporting the majority of cases. A total of 53 cases have been laboratory confirmed. (WHO, 29 Sep 2019)

The cholera outbreak in Ethiopia, which has been ongoing since late April 2019, continues at a low level. There has been a slight upsurge in the number of new cases in recent weeks, following a steady drop from week 39, when a peak of 170 cases was reached, to a low of 15 cases in week 43. In week 46 (week ending 17 November 2019), a total of 31 suspected cholera cases were reported (with no associated deaths), compared to 51 cases reported in week 45. The upsurge has occurred in Somali and Afar regions. (WHO, 24 Nov 2019)

A new outbreak of cholera was reported in Benatsemay, Hamer, Malle and Selamago woredas of South Omo zone, SNNPR, in the first week of January 2020. A similar outbreak was ongoing in two kebeles (Zeka Zalto and Oshale Shambara) of Uba Debretsehaye woreda and one kebele (Ada Shabe) of Zala woreda in Gofa zone, SNNPR, since the third week of December 2019. According to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), 126 new cholera cases and three deaths were reported from the affected woredas during the first week of January 2020 alone. This brought the total reported cases in the region since the outbreak started in December 2019 to 684 cases and 12 deaths (data as of 14 January 2020). (OCHA, 19 Jan 2020)

The number of cholera cases in South Omo zone, SNNP region, rose from 126 new cases in the first week of January to over 862 cases end of January. The total number of cases being managed increased from 585 on 16 January to 862 on 27 January 2020. Malle (364), Selamago (228), Benatsemay (188), and Hamer (74) are woredas that reported the highest number of cases. On 27 January alone, 19 new cases were admitted from Malle (6), Benatsemaye(3), Selamago, (6), and Hamer (4) woredas. Most recently, the cholera outbreak has spread to the zonal capital, Jinka town, with 8 reported cases. (OCHA, 10 Feb 2020)

In week 6 (week ending 9 February 2020), 157 new suspected cases were reported in SNNRP, Somalia and Oromia regions. A total of 3 970 suspected cases have been reported from three regions as of 9 February 2020. WHO, 8 Mar 2020

Cholera outbreaks continue in three regions of Somali, SNNP and Oromia. West Omo zone is the latest to report cases affecting four woredas of Menit Shasha, Menit Goldiya, Surma and Gachit. By mid August more than 3,000 cases had been treated. These are remote woredas that are hard to reach, especially during this rainy season. WHO, 4 Sep 2020