Since last March, the disease has claimed the lives of 1,500 people, and its impact has been worsened by heavy rains and a healthcare system that is overwhelmed.
According to the UN, Malawi is experiencing its deadliest cholera outbreak on record, with over 1,500 fatalities. Since the outbreak was declared in March of last year, over 50,000 cases have been reported in the landlocked country in southeast Africa. The outbreak was triggered by two severe tropical storms that struck the region, and it has resulted in the deaths of almost 200 children.
Cholera has been present in Malawi since the late 1990s, but typically it is a seasonal occurrence, only happening between November and May. However, this time the outbreak has been ongoing and has spread to all 28 districts in the country.
In a press briefing this week, Rudolf Schwenk, the UN children’s fund (Unicef) representative for Malawi, stated that the country is facing its deadliest cholera outbreak on record. Malawi is also grappling with a polio outbreak and continuing cases of Covid-19 throughout the nation.
He further stated that resources are scarce, the healthcare system is overwhelmed, and medical personnel are working to their maximum capacity. Additionally, the UN World Meteorological Organization warned this week that as cyclone Freddy approaches the region, the south of Malawi may experience heavy rainfall, worsening the situation.
Cholera is a disease that is usually spread by consuming food or water that has been contaminated, and while it is usually a mild infection, it can be fatal within hours if not treated. Intravenous fluids and antibiotics can be used to treat severe cases of the disease.
According to the World Health Organization, there are currently 22 countries, including Syria and Haiti, battling cholera outbreaks. However, the organization cautioned that there are only an estimated 37 million doses of the vaccine available this year, and it had to limit vaccine doses in October due to supply shortages.
According to the World Health Organization, there are currently 22 countries, including Syria and Haiti, battling cholera outbreaks. However, the organization cautioned that there are only an estimated 37 million doses of the vaccine available this year, and it had to limit vaccine doses in October due to supply shortages.
Unicef and the World Health Organization launched a vaccination campaign on Wednesday in the earthquake-stricken regions of north-west Syria. The campaign is expected to provide 1.7 million vaccine doses to individuals over the age of one. Schwenk expressed Unicef’s great concern about the deteriorating situation in Malawi.
According to Schwenk, half of the children require humanitarian assistance in Malawi. He also stated that by the end of the month, more than 60,000 children are expected to be severely malnourished, and almost a quarter of a million children under the age of five are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition.
Due to the fact that a severely malnourished child is 11 times more likely to perish from cholera than a well-nourished child, a cholera outbreak may effectively serve as a death sentence for numerous children in Malawi.
