News: UN alarms rising cases of Cholera in Ethiopia as death toll reaches 50, 3.3 million people at high-risk
Addis Abeba – The spread of Cholera outbreak to East Bale, Guji and Borena zones of Oromia and Daawa Zone of Somali regions has resulted in the deaths so far of 50 people with 2,276 total cholera cases registered as of 23 March, the latest UN report said.
According to the report the total cholera caseload has doubled since the end of January 2023, and close to 3.3 million people are now at high-risk in those affected areas.
In January the Cholera outbreak was reported in 66 kebeles of 8 woredas across Bale, Guji and West Arsi zones of Oromia and 2 woredas of Liban zone of Somali regions with a total number of 1,055 cases reported as of 30 January 2023. Currently, the outbreak has spread to 177 kebeles across 22 woredas (of whom 18 in Oromia). Moyale woreda both from Oromia and Somali sides is the latest to report the outbreak.
According to the UN, between 12 and 18 March, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) reported 363 new cholera cases, the highest numbers reported since the beginning of the outbreak in Harana Buluk woreda of Bale Zone of Oromia on 27 August 2022.
The UN indicated that urgent additional funds are required to scale up cholera response and preparedness efforts, including increasing water trucking services, rehabilitation of water systems where possible as well as increasing hygiene promotion activities amongst others.
Recently medical experts’ association in Oromia had been urging on the seriousness of the cholera outbreak underlining that unless the government and all involved parties do not take immediate action, the situation will continue to worsen and lead to disastrous consequences. AS
