Cholera cases in West and Central Africa have surged sharply, largely due to extreme rains connected to climate change.
Between January 2023 and January 2024, cholera outbreaks were reported in 19 African countries, resulting in over 252,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths.
This troubling rise shows the urgent need to tackle the related issues of climate change, public health, and water management.
Climate change is playing a big role in spreading cholera. The increasing intensity of extreme weather, like heavy rain and flooding, creates ideal conditions for the transmission of the Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
When heavy rains fall, they can overwhelm sanitation systems and contaminate water supplies.
Communities that rely on these contaminated sources face a higher risk of cholera outbreaks.
For example, flash floods can wipe out sanitation infrastructure, leaving people no choice but to use unsafe water for drinking and cooking.
Malawi is one of the hardest-hit countries, currently facing its largest cholera outbreak in history.
At its peak, the country was seeing up to 700 new cases daily, with a death rate much higher than normal.
Tropical storms and heavy rains have made weak water and sanitation systems even worse.
Flooding has displaced many people, pushing them into crowded living conditions with limited access to clean water, which is helping the disease spread even more.
Climate change doesn’t just cause flooding; it also leads to severe droughts, which reduce access to clean water.
In areas facing drought, remaining water sources often become overused and contaminated as communities try to meet their basic needs.
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