Mozambique: 2022 - 2023 Cholera

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Source: https://allafrica.com/stories/202204270210.html

Mozambique: Zambezia Grapples With Cholera Outbreak
26 April 2022

Maputo — At least 26 people have been admitted to Mopeia district hospital, in the central Mozambican province of Zambezia, following an outbreak of cholera, which began in March, Radio Mozambique reported on Tuesday.

The Zambezia Head Doctor, Isaias Marcos, said that the outbreak has so far caused no deaths. The health authorities in Mopeia are receiving between three and four patients every day, but they have managed to control the outbreak of acute diarrhoea and vomiting.

"Over the last two weeks, we recorded an outbreak of acute diarrhoeas in Chimuara, the main town in Mopeia, but we managed to bring the situation under control. Now we record cases across the district with an average of three to four cases a day," Marcos declared....

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Source: https://www.macaubusiness.com/mozamb...re-of-country/


Mozambique: First cholera outbreak declared in three years in centre of country
By LUSA
May 24, 2022


Health authorities in Zambezia, central Mozambique, on Monday declared a cholera outbreak in Quelimane, the provincial capital, after three years without the disease.

“Since the outbreak of acute diarrhoea started in Quelimane, we have had a total of 47 patients admitted to hospital. With these results it is confirmed that we are facing a cholera outbreak,” Óscar Haward, provincial director of health services, told journalists during a press conference.

Zambezia health authorities announced in April the registration of 14 cases of cholera.

“No deaths have been registered,” he said, calling for preventive measures to be taken, because “diarrhoea kills in a few hours if it is not treated”...

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WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

Week 33: 8 - 14 August 2022
Data as reported by: 17:00; 14 August 2022
...

Cholera Mozambique

3 415 cases
15 Deaths
0.4% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The cholera outbreak that was declared in Mozambique on 24
May 2022, is still ongoing in eight districts in Nampula, Sofala
and Zambezia provinces, however with a declining trend. Four
districts are in Sofala (Caia, Maringue, Chemba, Marromeu), three
districts are in Zambézia (Morrumbala, Mopeia and Quelimane)
while one district is in Nampula province.

Between January and March 2022, two cyclones, ANA and
Gombe made landfall in Mozambique and affected six provinces:
Nampula, Zambézia, Tete, Niassa, Sofala and Manica. Both
cyclones resulted in mass displacement and death of several
people, destruction of infrastructures including disruption of
water supply.

Consequently, there were suspect cases of Cholera reported
in Caia district in Sofala province and Morrumbala districts in
Zambezia province. Detailed field investigations conducted by
the Ministry of Health teams confirmed the outbreak in Caia and
Morrumbala districts.

From 13 January 2022 to 31 July 2022, a total of 3 415 cholera
cases and 15 deaths were reported from two provinces with a
case fatality rate of 0.4%.

In Sofala province, Caia district reported the highest number of
cases (707 cases). This was followed by Maringue district (30),
Marromeu district (258) and Chemba district with 36 cases and
one death, the only death registered in the province.

In Zambézia province, Morrumbala district reported 1 333 cases
with 10 deaths (CFR=0.7), Mopeia district (589 cases; 4 deaths
CFR=0.7) and Quelimane City had 347 cases with no deaths
reported. In Nampula province, Nampula city has reported 115
cases with no deaths in a closing setting, civil prison.

During week 30, Sofala province reported seven new cases in
Marromeu district, Zambezia province reported 13 new cases in
Quelimane City while Nampula City didn’t report any case in the
last seven weeks.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

In line with the national response plan, the Ministry of Health
of Mozambique, with support from WHO and partners have
continued to mount public health response through the
implementation of targeted activities to control the outbreak:

A coordination mechanism is still in place at the provincial
and district levels.

Surveillance activities, including case detection and
investigation across the affected districts remain ongoing.

Cholera kits have been deployed and distributed in the
affected health districts and the prison in Nampula city.

In Nampula, WHO provided Rapid Diagnostic Test kits for
cholera testing.

Prison was equipped with medication to support stabilization
of patients before transfer to cholera treatment centre (CTC).

Decontamination of the prison and distribution of soap,
buckets and chlorine to the prison has been done.

Rapid diagnostic tests, including training have been provided
to health workers to aid in the laboratory confirmation of
cases.

Training on infection prevention and control measures have
been provided to health workers at the treatment facilities.

Risk communication and messaging on cholera prevention
ongoing, using community leaders and volunteers as well as
mass media platforms to target affected communities has
been conducted.

Health education sessions have been conducted in the health
facilities, CTCs and around affected communities.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

The current outbreak of cholera in Mozambique comes in the
aftermath of two major cyclones that hit the southern African
nation earlier in the year compromising access to clean water,
sanitation, and hygiene. Even with the observed decreasing trend,
the detection of a new cluster in a prison in Nampula city, remains
of grave concern. Oral cholera vaccinations are been planned in
line with the cholera elimination plan for the affected districts,
however, long-term investment in sustainable access to clean
water, sanitation, and hygiene for the population and strict follow
up on the cholera elimination plan will be key to preventing future
outbreaks.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/361771/OEW33-0814082022.pdf

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Cholera: the epidemic kills 16 in Mozambique

- The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, has called on the population to take more hygiene measures in order to curb the spread of cholera

Gokhan Kavak |
17.01.2023

Facing the press on Tuesday, Domingos Guiole, official of the Public Health Surveillance Department, indicated an increase in the number of victims of the cholera epidemic in the region of Niassa, in the north of the country.

It reported 1,376 cases of cholera, aided by the rainy season, including 16 deaths. The Mozambican official explained that the outbreak may have spread from Malawi.

Mozambique's President, Filipe Nyusi, has called on people to take more hygiene measures to curb the spread of cholera.
...

https://www.aa.com.tr/fr/afrique/chol%C3%A9ra-l%C3%A9pid%C3%A9mie-fait-16-morts-au-mozambique/2790093

[Pathfinder]

WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

Week 5: 23 to 29 January 2023
Data as reported by: 17:00; 29 January 2023
...

Cholera Mozambique

1 934 cases
18 Deaths
0.9% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The current cholera outbreak in Mozambique has been ongoing
since 14 September 2022, when a case was reported from Lago
district, Niassa province, in the northern region of the country,
bordering Malawi and Tanzania.

As of 21 January 2023, a cumulative total of 1 934 suspected
cases and 18 deaths (CFR 0.9%) have been reported in nine
districts from five of the country’s 11 provinces. Of the 66 cases
tested, 45 cases were laboratory confirmed as cholera by culture.
The number of districts reporting cases has increased over the
past 30 days. Niassa is by far the most affected province, with 1
376 suspected cases (71%) and 13 deaths (CFR 0.9%) reported
from the districts of Lago, Lichinga, Mecanhlas and Sanga.
In the central region, two districts (Caia and Marromeu) in Sofala
province reported 497 cases and one death (CFR 0.2%), while
one district (Tete City) in Tete province reported 11 cases and
no deaths. Milange district in Zambezia province, which borders
Malawi, reported 14 cases and no deaths. In the southern part of
the country, one district (Xai-Xai) in Gaza province reported 36
cases and four deaths (CFR 11%).

Notably, cases of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) have been
reported in nine districts from four provinces: two districts
in Maputo City Province, five districts in Tete Province, one
district in Sofala Province and one district in Zambezia Province.
Samples from these cases have tested positive for cholera by
rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and culture results are pending.
Since 2017, cholera outbreaks have been reported annually in
Mozambique during the hot and rainy seasons (January to April
and October to December), mainly in the provinces of Nampula,
Cabo Delgado, Sofala, and Tete. Prior to the current outbreak,
cholera outbreaks unrelated to the current one occurred in the first
two quarters of 2022, with a total of 3 480 cases and 15 deaths
(CFR 0.4%) reported in eight districts from three provinces that
were declared controlled.

The current outbreak is more geographically widespread than
the outbreaks reported in 2019-2022, when no more than three
provinces were affected during the year. In addition, while some
central and northern provinces report cases every year, the
currently affected provinces of Gaza and Maputo in the south of
the country had not reported cases for more than five years.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

The Ministry of Health issued a cholera alert to provinces,
districts, and health facilities on December 28, 2022,
emphasizing the importance of early detection, confirmation,
reporting, and management of suspected cases and the
establishment of multisectoral coordination in provinces and
districts.

At the national level, a cholera task force has been activated
under the leadership of the National Public Health Directorate.
Response activities are underway, including field
investigations, enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing,
case management, risk communication and community
engagement (RCCE), and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
(WASH) activities to prevent and control the spread of the
disease.

Public messages about cholera and the current situation
are being disseminated through media and digital platforms
to raise awareness of cholera prevention measures and
encourage early treatment seeking.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

Currently, nine districts from five provinces are reporting cholera
cases, and nine additional districts from four provinces including
the capital, Maputo are reporting AWD cases with positive
cholera RDT results. If an outbreak of cholera is confirmed in
Maputo, this could lead to a large outbreak and increase the risk
of transmission in the country and to surrounding countries due
to the high level of population movement through Maputo. There
is a need to build the capacity of healthcare workers in case
management and other response pillars, as most of the affected
districts, particularly in Niassa Province, have not reported a
cholera case for more than five years.
...

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/365810/OEW05-232901.pdf