Malawi: Cholera Outbreak - Mar 2022

Malawi is currently experiencing one of the worst cholera outbreaks in years. The first case was registered in Machinga district in the Southern region of Malawi on 02 March 2022. The Malawi Ministry of Health declared the cholera outbreak on 03 March 2022 after the increase and spread of confirmed cases. The cholera outbreak, initially limited to the southern part of the country, has now spread to Malawi's northern and central regions. Meanwhile, the country continues to register new cholera cases in different parts of the country. As of 31 August 2022, the outbreak had claimed 67 lives with 1,736 cases being registered in 15 districts representing a case fatality rate of 3.85%. (IFRC, 17 Sep 2022)

A total of 22 over 27 districts have reported cholera cases since the confirmation of the first case this year in March. As of 25 September, the cumulative confirmed cases reported are 3,314 with 99 deaths, for a Case Fatality Rate of 3.0%. A total of 3,143 people have recovered and 71 are currently admitted in treatment centres. (ECHO, 28 Sep 2022)

A total of 29 districts have reported Cholera cases since the confirmation of the first case in March 2022 in Machinga district. As of 13 November 2022, the cumulative confirmed cases and deaths reported since the onset of the outbreak is 8 111 and 241 respectively, with Case Fatality Rate at 3.0%. (WHO, 18 Nov 2022)

On 14 December, Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 12,854 cumulative cases across all 29 districts, out of which 14 districts reporting cases in the last 14 days, 133 new cases, 379 deaths (3 new), and a case fatality rate of 2.95%. Preliminary results from the Ministry of Health (MoH) indicate that the cholera vaccination campaign, which took place from 28 November to 2 December, reached more than 2 million people, representing 71.6% out of the targeted 2.9 million people. (ECHO, 16 Dec 2022)

There has been a 95% increase in the number of cholera cases in November (4,766 confirmed cases) compared to October (2434 confirmed cases). Based on this, on 5 December 2022, the State President declared the 2022 Cholera Outbreak a “Public Health Emergency”. As of 5 December, the epidemic included a cumulative total of 11,462 cholera cases with 332 deaths (CFR 2.9%) and 12,854 cases and 47 more deaths on 14 December 2022. This translates to urgent need to strengthen and expand the response engaged in September. (IFRC, 25 Dec 2022)

A total of 29 districts have reported Cholera cases since the confirmation of the first case in March 2022 in Machinga district. As of 7 January 2023, the cumulative confirmed cases and deaths reported since the onset of the outbreak is 20 527 and 687 respectively, with Case Fatality Rate at 3.3%. (WHO, 13 Jan 2023)

On 23 January, the Ministry of Health reported the cumulative confirmed cases and deaths since the onset of the outbreak at 29,995 and 990 respectively, with the case fatality rate at 3.30%, which is above the acceptable threshold set by the WHO of less than 1%. The update also indicated that a total of 27,936 people have recovered while 1,069 are currently in treatment units. (WHO, 24 Jan 2023)

The United Nations and humanitarian partners in Malawi today launched a Flash Appeal to assist four million people, including 56,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, who have been hardest-hit by, and are at highest-risk of, cholera, in support of the Government-led response. The appeal—which calls for US$45.3 million for the next five months—comes as the numbers of cholera cases and deaths in Malawi have increased exponentially since the beginning of January 2023, worsening what is already the deadliest cholera outbreak in the country’s history. (OCHA, 20 Feb 2023)