Ethiopia: Cholera Outbreak - Flash Update #5 (As of 30 January 2023)

This report is prepared with the support and collaboration of cluster coordinators and humanitarian partners. This is an information product that might be followed by further updates. Boundaries, names and designations of districts/zones indicated in the narration in the report do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Please contact ocha-eth-communication@un.org for any comment or question you may have on this publication.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Cholera outbreak has further spread out to 66 kebeles of 8 woredas across Bale, Guji and West Arsi zones of Oromia and 2 woredas of Liban zone of Somali region. As of 30 January 2023, 1,055 cholera cases have been reported including 28 associated deaths. Close to 1 million people are at high-risk in the 10 affected woredas.

• The caseload of affected people has increased by 30 per cent since the beginning of January 2023. The outbreak started in Bale zone and has expanded in bordering zones of West Arsi, Guji and Liban.

• On January 13, 2023, the Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaign has been officially lunched in Somali and Oromia Regions.

• On December 26, 2022, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health led a consultative and advocacy meeting on the implementation of the National Cholera Elimination Plan (NCP) with the participation of governmental and non- governmental actors, including the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), the Oromia and Somali Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

SITUATION OVERVIEW

On 27 August 2022, the first cholera case was reported in Harana Buluk woreda of Bale zone, Southern Oromia region of Ethiopia. As of the reporting date, six woredas (out of a total of 13 woredas) of the zone have registered confirmed cases. More recently, in late December 2022, cholera cases have been reported for the first time in the bordering zone of West Arsi, specifically in Nenesebo woreda. West Arsi has become the fourth zone reporting cholera cases in the country, after Guji and Liban zones of Oromia and Somali regions respectively. As of 30 January 2023, 1,055 cholera cases – of whom 191 IDPs - were reported in 8 woredas across Bale, Guji and West Arsi zone of Oromia and 2 woredas of Liban zone with 28 associated deaths (Cumulative Case Fatality RateCFR - of 2.65 per cent1). The total cholera caseload increased by 30 per cent since the beginning of January 2023 with new daily cases reported and new patients admitted in Goro, Nenesebo and Girja woredas. The reported deaths mostly fall within the age range of 0 to 14 years (of which 25 per cent are children under five). Out the total caseload, more than 77 per cent have not received any doses of Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV). According to EPHI, more than 1 million people are at high-risk in the ten affected woredas.

Partners are closely monitoring new outbreaks across South West Ethiopia Region. A Zonal Rapid Response Team (RRT) has been deployed in Sheko woreda of Bench Sheko zone and Konta town of Konta special woreda following reported rumors of cases. Samples test are under investigation. Similarly, there are high concerns on a possible cholera outbreak escalation in Dawa zone of Somali Region due to the increasing number of confirmed cases reported in neighboring Marsabit County, Kenya.