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News: Five regions see Cholera outbreaks; more than 50 die in December alone

A Médecins Sans Frontières staffer prepares an oral cholera vaccine. Photo by: Corinne Baker / MSF

Addis Abeba, January 12/2021 – Some 1,873 cases and 53 deaths were identified in eight Woredas in Dawro Zone, and two Woredas of Bench Sheko Zone by the last week of December 2020, UNOCHA said.

Response interventions are ongoing in Gambella, SNNPR, Sidama, Oromia, and Afar Regions which have registered active cases of cholera. Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) was completed in three Woredas.

WHO is providing technical and operations, including community engagement, surveillance, OCV, and training in both Gambella and SNNP Regions. While UNICEF is providing WaSH and Risk Communication and Community Engagement activities. NGOs such as IRC, PIN, Transform PHC are operating in SNNP Region and MSF Holland is operating in Gambella Region.

Preventative and control measures, including risk communication, awareness creation and education, WaSH, surveillance, case management, and targeted (reactive) are ongoing in SNNPR, Gambella, Oromia, and Sidama Regions. High case fatality rate, weak partner coordination at zonal and woreda levels, limited operational capacities of partners, security and limited access to the affected populations remain challenges to the response in SNNP Region. Presence of refugees in the Woreda (11,000), shortage of water treatment chemicals, and issue of cross border surveillance along South Sudan are major challenges in Gambella Region. Dispatch

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