Recent flooding is certain to worsen the cholera outbreak which had shown signs of improvement lately after affecting ‘nine regions, including Addis Ababa and Dire Dawe city’. Damage to infrastructure and drinking water supplies is predicted to sweep active disease transmission into more widespread areas. The summer monsoon season has also affected East Darfur state in neighbouring Sudan, with a reported rise in malaria cases coinciding with an ‘acute shortage’ in malaria treatment medications. Further south in Kenya, cholera outbreaks have been controlled in four of the five affected counties (Wajir, Murang’a, Marsabit and Garissa), leaving Turkana which is now experiencing its fourth wave of infections this year. Read more
Advice for travellers
Cholera is usually spread in contaminated water. For most short-stay travellers, the risk of infection is low. Australians travelling to regions where a cholera outbreak is occurring should adhere to strict personal hygiene guidelines and choose food and beverages with care. Read more about cholera.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.