RFI: Cholera Outbreak Reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Amid the spread of the disease, authorities in the DRC and neighboring Republic of the Congo have launched a preventive vaccination campaign targeting populations on both sides of the Congo River, according to the report. Up to 2 million people in western and northern parts of the DRC and southern parts of the Republic of the Congo are expected to receive cholera vaccines in the coming weeks. The vaccination campaign will also cover the DRC capital, Kinshasa.

The highest numbers of cholera cases are currently being reported in the provinces of Haut-Lomami, North Kivu, Tanganyika, and South Kivu. The infection has a pronounced river-based pattern of transmission, experts note. This raises concerns that it could spread along the Congo River. The cholera outbreak is occurring amid an Ebola epidemic in eastern DRC, creating additional challenges.

Cholera is a particularly dangerous infectious disease caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria. It develops when the pathogen enters the body through contaminated food or water.