Namibia records first cholera case in nearly a decade
The case in the southern African country concerns a 55-year-old woman who developed "acute watery diarrhoea" in the Kunene region bordering Angola.
Cholera, a bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration. Picture: Science Photo Library via AFP
NAIROBI, KENYA - Namibia has recorded its first case of cholera in nearly a decade, in a region bordering Angola where an outbreak has killed at least 237 people, the African Union's health agency said Thursday.
"For the first time after almost 10 years... Namibia reported the first cholera case two days ago," said Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC), headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
"The good news is that Namibia informed us that the person has recovered and been discharged from the hospital. But this was a major wake-up call for the country to strengthen its system and work on... the cholera response," he added during an online press briefing.
The case in the southern African country concerns a 55-year-old woman who developed "acute watery diarrhoea" in the Kunene region bordering Angola.
Angola has been hit by a cholera epidemic since last year that has killed at least 237 people, many in the capital Luanda, according to the Africa CDC.
The country struggles to cope with high poverty rates and poor sanitation, despite vast oil riches.
Cases and the mortality rate are nevertheless declining, according to the CDC.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection spread through food and water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae bacterium, often of faecal origin.
It causes severe diarrhoea, vomiting, and muscle cramps, and can kill within hours if left untreated, although it can be treated with simple oral rehydration therapy and antibiotics for more severe cases.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced last year that cholera deaths increased by 71% compared to the previous year.
The regions most affected by cholera have changed considerably, with a 32% drop in cases in the Middle East and Asia, against a 125% increase in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the WHO.