Haiti: Cholera Outbreak - Sep 2022

After more than three years without a single cholera case, as of 2 October, Haitian authorities have confirmed two cases and identified several other suspected cases across several communes in the Ouest department, including the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and Cité Soleil. The deadly illness has resurfaced as the country continues to be paralyzed by gang blockades that have triggered severe shortages of fuel, safe drinking water and limited access to health services across the country.

Access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation services are critical for preventing the spread of cholera, raising serious concerns about containing the spread of the infection as heightened insecurity and mobility challenges increasingly limit access to both for most Haitians. Additionally, restricted access to affected areas creates challenges for the surveillance and timely assessment of the epidemiological situation while fuel shortages could affect the shipment of biological samples from health facilities to reference laboratories, creating an extra layer of complexity for prevention and response efforts. (OCHA, 3 Oct 2022)

Beyond the Ouest Department, where the majority of cholera cases are concentrated, the Centre, Artibonite and Nippes departments have also reported suspected cases. [...] As of 16 October, the Ministry of Health (MSPP) reported 22 inhospital deaths, 66 confirmed cases, and 564 suspected cases of cholera across the country, including 188 hospitalized cases. (OCHA, 17 Oct 2022)

Cholera cases continue to spread to new areas of the capital as well as to additional departments in the country. As of 8 November 2022, the Direction d'Épidémiologie, des Laboratoires et de la Recherche (DELR) reported 7,569 suspected cases and 712 confirmed cases of cholera across the country. Of these, 655 (92%) have been reported in the Ouest Department. Other departments that reported confirmed cases are Centre (37), Artibonite (18), and Grand’Anse (2). [...] Critical cholera supplies such as medicines, oral rehydration solution (ORS), rapid tests, ringer lactate, cholera beds as well as human resources are critically needed to scale up response activities. (PAHO, 10 Nov 2022)

Since the notification of the first two confirmed cases [...] the Haitian Ministry of Health (Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population, MSPP per its French acronym), reported a total of 22,469 suspected cases in 10 departments of the country, including 1,561 confirmed cases, 18,729 hospitalized suspected cases, and 452 registered deaths3. This represents an increase in the last 7 days of 15% in suspected cases (N=2,877), 9% in confirmed cases (N=134) and 25% in deaths (N=89). As of 1 January 2023, 9 departments have confirmed cases (Artibonite, Centre, Grand-Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud and Sud-Est). To date, the case fatality rate among suspected cases is 2.0%. Of a total of 4,266 samples analyzed by the National Public Health Laboratory (LNSP for its acronym in French), 1,561 were confirmed (36.6% positivity rate). (PAHO, 4 Jan 23)

In Haiti, as 16 February 2023, the Department of Epidemiology, Laboratories, and Research (DELR) have reported 31,485 suspected cholera cases in all 10 departments of the country. [...] High levels of insecurity and limited access to fuel and populations continue to be major challenges in the response to the cholera outbreak. (PAHO, 18 Feb 23)