Several countries in southern Africa have found themselves in the middle of an alarming resurgence of the cholera epidemic. The extreme weather conditions in this part of the world have exacerbated the epidemic.
Heavy flooding caused by seasonal rainfall and tropical cyclones has significantly increased the risk of cholera spreading, undermining efforts to control the epidemic.
This deadly intestinal infection, which mainly affects the poorest groups, continues to gain ground in the continent’s south.
The epidemic is caused by the consumption of food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
Among the countries most affected is Malawi, which is facing the deadliest cholera epidemic in the last 20 years, according to the United Nations (UN).
In this country, 1,600 deaths and nearly 60,000 cases have been reported since March 2022, according to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Last February, the health authorities launched a national campaign called “Tithetse cholera” (Stop Cholera) to interrupt the transmission of the bacteria and reduce its rate.
However, increased rainfall and the passage of Cyclone Freddy did not achieve the desired objectives.
Thus, in neighboring Mozambique, six of the 11 provinces are affected by the epidemic.