Brazaville: In addition to the ongoing and aggravated cholera outbreaks across the continent, tropical cyclone Freddy's destruction is posing serious health risks in the southern African nations that were most severely affected, the World Health Organization warned (WHO).
The WHO Regional Office for Africa, located in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, said that since Freddy made landfall in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi, the destruction has increased public health risks because the cyclone tore through amid cholera outbreaks in Malawi and Mozambique.
According to the WHO Regional Office, the number of cholera cases in Mozambique increased by more than twofold over the previous week, from 1,023 to 2,374 as of March 20, as per reports.
Despite the fact that Malawi, which is dealing with its worst-ever cholera outbreak on record, has continued to record a decline—cases were down to 1,424 as of March 20 from 1,956 the week before—the widespread flooding could potentially undo the recent strides made against the illness. The WHO Regional Office for Africa issued a warning in February that this year's infections could surpass the number of cases reported in 2021, the worst year for cholera in Africa in over a decade, if the current rapidly rising trend of the disease persists.
In 2021, there were 141,467 cases of cholera and 4,094 deaths registered.
Dehydration contributes to cholera's high morbidity and fatality rates and its quick spread as an acute, particularly aggressive infection.
Nonetheless, the illness is quickly curable. Most patients can be successfully treated with prompt use of intravenous or oral rehydration solutions.
As per WHO Regional, the cholera outbreaks, which are currently affecting 14 African nations, are also being made worse by extreme climatic occurrences and conflicts that have increased vulnerabilities as people are forced to flee their homes and deal with precarious living conditions.
"It is evident that more has to be done to strengthen preparedness for climatic hazards so that people can better cope with the repercussions of the severe natural disasters." said WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.
Cyclone Freddy first hit Madagascar and Mozambique this year in February. The storm went back out to the Indian Ocean and then made a 2nd landfall in March that was far more devastating in Malawi where it has killed about 500 people, and also in Mozambique, where about 9,00,000 people have been affected. Many risk a resurgent cholera outbreak, aid agencies say.
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