Global cholera cases rise by 13% in 2023

KARACHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported a concerning 13% surge in cholera cases worldwide in 2023, with 535,321 confirmed cases and 4,000 related deaths across 45 countries.

The Middle East and Asia saw a significant 32% decline in cholera cases, while Africa experienced a staggering 125% increase, compared to the data of 2022. This divergence highlights uneven progress in controlling the outbreak. Middle East and Asia (16 countries) reported a total 254,368 cases, with 128 deaths, against Africa (21 countries) with 225,857 cases, 3,167 deaths.

Nine countries across three continents—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, and Zimbabwe—reported large outbreaks with over 10,000 suspected and confirmed cases. Ethiopia, Haiti, Mozambique and Zimbabwe did not reported very large outbreaks in 2022.

Pakistan's Performance: Among Asian countries, Pakistan reported one of the lowest numbers of cholera cases, with 200 cases and zero deaths, while it was followed by Iran (79 cases), Malaysia (48), China (29), Nepal (7), Thailand (6), Qatar (3), Japan (2), Saudi Arabia (1) and Bahrain (1).    

The recently published WHO’s global cholera statistics for 2023 revealed increase in the number of cholera reporting countries (45) during the year, against 44 in 2022 and 35 in 2022.

About Bangladesh the report marked that the number of reported cholera cases there increased in 2023 over that in 2022, which could be attributed to the country’s efforts to enhance cholera surveillance and reporting rather than to a new or worsening outbreak.

Community deaths a concern: For the first time, multiple countries reported cholera deaths occurring outside health facilities, known as "community deaths." In five of 13 reporting countries, over a third of cholera deaths occurred in communities, underscoring gaps in access to treatment.

The WHO report highlighted that the global cholera crisis continues into 2024, with 22 countries currently reporting active outbreaks. As of August 22, 342,800 cases and 2,400 deaths have been reported across all continents.

Cholera Crisis Persists: According to the WHO report, the global cholera crisis continues into 2024, with 22 countries currently reporting active outbreaks. As of August 22, 342,800 cases and 2,400 deaths have been reported across all continents.

-- IV Desk

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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