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Burundi: Cholera outbreak alerts health authorities in Rumonge and the Imbo plain
by Editor-in-Chief October 21, 2025 in Africa
Six cases of cholera were confirmed this week at the isolation center of Rumonge Hospital in southern Burundi, according to medical sources. The patients, mainly from the Kizuka region, have been placed in quarantine. This epidemic, linked to poor hygiene and a shortage of drinking water, comes on top of a series of infections recorded in recent weeks in the provinces of Burunga and Bujumbura.
For several months, residents of Rumonge, Rutumo, and Kizuka have been getting their water from streams or directly from the waters of Lake Tanganyika, areas known to be potential hotbeds of cholera vibrio. The regional spread is particularly worrying, as trade around the lake is contributing to the rapid spread of the disease.
The outbreak was first reported in the Magara area of Muhuta commune before reaching Gihanga in the Imbo plain, where more than twenty cases have been recorded since the beginning of October, including three deaths. Experts fear a wider spread in these densely populated coastal areas.
In response to the crisis, local authorities and the Red Cross are stepping up prevention efforts—spraying households and raising awareness about hygiene—but the lack of logistical resources and drinking water is hampering any effective response. The high cost of water, which sells for between 1,000 and 2,000 Burundian francs for a 20-liter container, is forcing many families to turn to unsafe sources.
Health officials are calling for urgent action from national authorities and humanitarian partners. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 1,600 cases of cholera have been recorded since the beginning of the year in the provinces of Burunga, Bujumbura, and the economic capital.
https://tribuneechos.com/burundi-un...itaires-a-rumonge-et-dans-la-plaine-de-limbo/
Burundi: Cholera outbreak alerts health authorities in Rumonge and the Imbo plain
by Editor-in-Chief October 21, 2025 in Africa
Six cases of cholera were confirmed this week at the isolation center of Rumonge Hospital in southern Burundi, according to medical sources. The patients, mainly from the Kizuka region, have been placed in quarantine. This epidemic, linked to poor hygiene and a shortage of drinking water, comes on top of a series of infections recorded in recent weeks in the provinces of Burunga and Bujumbura.
For several months, residents of Rumonge, Rutumo, and Kizuka have been getting their water from streams or directly from the waters of Lake Tanganyika, areas known to be potential hotbeds of cholera vibrio. The regional spread is particularly worrying, as trade around the lake is contributing to the rapid spread of the disease.
The outbreak was first reported in the Magara area of Muhuta commune before reaching Gihanga in the Imbo plain, where more than twenty cases have been recorded since the beginning of October, including three deaths. Experts fear a wider spread in these densely populated coastal areas.
In response to the crisis, local authorities and the Red Cross are stepping up prevention efforts—spraying households and raising awareness about hygiene—but the lack of logistical resources and drinking water is hampering any effective response. The high cost of water, which sells for between 1,000 and 2,000 Burundian francs for a 20-liter container, is forcing many families to turn to unsafe sources.
Health officials are calling for urgent action from national authorities and humanitarian partners. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 1,600 cases of cholera have been recorded since the beginning of the year in the provinces of Burunga, Bujumbura, and the economic capital.
https://tribuneechos.com/burundi-un...itaires-a-rumonge-et-dans-la-plaine-de-limbo/