The World Health Organization (WHO) is responding to multiple cholera outbreaks that could flare-up and threaten the health of more people if control measures are not intensified. More than 10 700 cholera cases and 170 deaths have been reported in five countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean and African Regions as of 21 October 2015. WHO urgently requires more than US$ 5 million to ramp up its response to stem the tide of the cholera outbreaks ahead of the rainy season.

“Five countries – Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – have reported cholera cases. The cholera situation in Kuwait and Bahrain is under control, however we are concerned about the current cholera outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Iraq. If not properly contained, cases could spike and spread across borders,” warns Coordinator, WHO Control of Epidemic Diseases, Dr William Augusto Perea Caro.