Sandra Mwayera cried out in anguish as her older brother sat slumped beside her in the back seat of a car — he had succumbed to cholera while waiting for treatment with many others outside a hospital in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.
“My brother! My brother! Why have you left me?” she pleaded. “Come back, please. Come back!”
In Zambia, at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, rows of cots filled rooms in a makeshift treatment center where 24-year-old Memory Musonda passed away. Her family was only informed four days later, and they are still unable to locate her grave.
Memory Musonda’s uncle, Stanley Mwamba Kafula, expressed the family’s distress and heartbreak.
Cholera outbreaks are currently affecting five countries in central and southern Africa, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Mozambique.
The epidemic has spread in the last two years, infecting over 220,000 individuals and causing more than 4,000 deaths in seven countries. Dr. Patrick Otim, who leads the cholera response for the World Health Organization in Africa, described it as the deadliest regional outbreak in a decade. Public health workers in Africa note the unprecedented number of cases across multiple countries simultaneously.
Cholera cases in Africa had been decreasing until 2020, but saw a resurgence in West Africa in 2021, followed by the current outbreak in southern Africa.
Zambia and Malawi have reported their largest cholera outbreaks, while Zimbabwe has seen its second-highest number of cases on record. The majority of cases in the past year in the African Union have come from southern Africa.
Dr. Mounia Amrani of Doctors Without Borders described the cholera situation in southern Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe and Zambia, as dire.
The devastation is attributed to severe storms, lack of vaccines, and inadequate water and sewer systems, according to public health experts.
Representatives from 15 nations in the Southern African Development Community have agreed to work together on vaccine production and distribution, surveillance for cholera, and improving water and sanitation systems.
Zambia is the hardest-hit country, facing its deadliest outbreak ever. More than 650 people have died and over 18,500 have been infected since October. While cases and deaths have slowed, the outbreak has spread to nine other provinces.
The death rate in Zambia is 3.5 percent, significantly higher than the typical 1 percent rate. Many deaths occur at home rather than in health facilities, indicating a lack of awareness or denial of cholera.
Doctors Without Borders has deployed health workers to Zambia and Zimbabwe to assist in managing the outbreaks.
As public health officials race to combat the outbreaks, the Africa C.D.C. warns of potential challenges ahead due to above-normal rainfall, which can lead to flooding and increase the risk of cholera transmission.
Preventing cholera involves keeping water sources separate from sewage. However, many communities in southern Africa lack proper water and sewer infrastructure, posing a high risk of contamination, especially during heavy rains.
Leaders in the Southern African Development Community have committed to investing in resilient water and sewer systems to address the cholera outbreak.
Dr. Otim emphasized the importance of addressing water, hygiene, and sanitation issues to halt the spread of cholera.
Vaccine shortages have also been a major concern, with a global surge in cholera outbreaks depleting vaccine supplies. Dr. Amrani noted that cholera has received less attention from the pharmaceutical industry, contributing to the shortage.
While long-term solutions are being pursued, organizations like Doctors Without Borders and the W.H.O. are providing immediate assistance by treating patients and supplying medical resources.
Collins Chilumba Sampa contributed reporting from Lusaka, Zambia.
