2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak

2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak
The spread of cholera in Zimbabwe as of 5 February 2009, using data from several sources.[1][2][3][4][5]
DateAugust 2008 – July 2009
LocationZimbabwe
CauseVibrio cholerae
Deaths4,369
Non-fatal injuries98,569

The 2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak was an epidemic of cholera affecting much of Zimbabwe from August 2008 until June 2009. The outbreak began in Chitungwiza in Harare Metropolitan Province in August 2008, then spread throughout the country so that by December 2008, cases were being reported in all 10 provinces.[6] In December 2008, The Zimbabwean government declared the outbreak a national emergency and requested international aid.[7] The outbreak peaked in January 2009 with 8,500 cases reported per week.[8] Cholera cases from this outbreak were also reported in neighboring countries South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia.[8] With the help of international agencies, the outbreak was controlled, and by July 2009, after no cases had been reported for several weeks, the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Welfare declared the outbreak over.[8] In total, 98,596 cases of cholera and 4,369 deaths were reported, making this the largest outbreak of cholera ever recorded in Zimbabwe.[8] The large scale and severity of the outbreak has been attributed to poor sanitation, limited access to healthcare, and insufficient healthcare infrastructure throughout Zimbabwe.[8][9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference daily was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (3 December 2008). "Zimbabwe: Cholera, 3 December 2008" (PDF). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
  3. ^ World Health Organization (12 December 2008). "Zimbabwe: Areas affected by cholera and anthrax outbreaks (September–November 2008)" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  4. ^ World Health Organization (3 December 2008). "Zimbabwe: Areas affected by cholera outbreaks (September–November 2008), showing showing locations of cholera treatment units, 3 December 2008" (PDF). Reuters. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference epidemiologicaljan03 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Ahmed S; Bardhan PK; Mazumder RN; Khan AI; Islam MS; Siddique AK; Cravioto A (October 2011). "The 2008 Cholera Epidemic in Zimbabwe: Experience of the icddr,b Team in the Field". Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition. 29 (5): 541–546. doi:10.3329/jhpn.v29i5.8909. PMC 3225117. PMID 22106761.
  7. ^ "Zimbabwe declares cholera national emergency". CNN. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Cholera Country Profile: Zimbabwe" (PDF). World Health Organization - Global Task Force on Cholera Control. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  9. ^ "Beyond Cholera: Zimbabwe's Worsening Crisis". Medecins Sans Frontieres. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.