DRC

Factsheet
Cholera Outbreak
August 2016

Highlights and Situation Overview

Situation in numbers

Between January and August 2016, a total of 17,712 cases

of cholera with 468 deaths were reported in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC). This is an 88% increase of reported
cases compared to the same period in 2015 and a 148%
increase in cholera-related deaths.

17,712

Of these, 5,872 cases and 323 deaths (fatality rate 2%)

were reported in the six provinces along the Congo River
(Equateur, Tshopo, Mongala, Maniema, Mai-Ndombe and
Kinshasa) where 660,000 people are currently at risk of
cholera, including 316,800 children between 0 and 14 years
old.

468

In the Central African Republic, a cholera outbreak was

officially declared by Ministry of Public Health on August 10,
with cases mainly reported from villages along the river
bordering DRCs North and South Ubangi provinces.

5,872

The response along the Congo River is hindered by limited

access, a lack of appropriate surveillance and early warning
systems, a lack of community resilience and limited local
knowledge about prevention and intervention measures.

(DRC Ministry of Health, week 34)

With the start of the school year in September, more

children are at risk of exposure due to a lack of clean running
water, soap, and toilets in many schools. This risk will be
compounded with the upcoming rainy season.
There is concern that the epidemic will spread to
Kinshasa, DRCs densely populated capital city. Located
along the Congo River with limited water and sanitation
facilities and a population already affected by the yellow fever
epidemic, the epidemic has the potential to quickly spread,
posing a risk to its millions of inhabitants and neighbouring
Republic of Congo capital, Brazzaville.

# of cases of cholera in DRC

(DRC Ministry of Health, January- August 2016,
week 34)

# cholera-related deaths in DRC

(DRC Ministry of Health, January-August 2016,
week 34)

# of cases of cholera in six provinces

along the Congo River

660,000
# of people in need of assistance for the
next 6 months in ten provinces along the
Congo River watershed
(WASH and Health Cluster, August 2016)

316,800
# Children at risk of epidemic [in the ten
provinces along the Congo River]

US$ 14 million
UNICEF Appeal 2016

Current response
UNICEF

WASH

Partners

Humanitarian Funds:
Is working with Oxfam, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) to
coordinate and provide technical support and medical supplies
Funded Oxfam and LWF activities for the
to assist government response plans in four affected
emergency response regarding 2015 flooding
provinces.
and cholera outbreak in the Tshopo, Mongala,
and Equateur provinces.
Is coordinating and supervising partners WaSH activities for a
multi sectorial response in the Tshopo, Maniema Provinces
World Health Organization (WHO):
Is providing financial support and stock to the Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Mai- Ndombe for
the WaSH cholera response, as well as to Provincial Health
Division in Maniema province.

Providing technical support to the Ministry of

Health jointly with ADRA in the provinces of
Kinshasa, Tshopo Mongala Mai-Ndombe.

As WaSH cluster lead UNICEF is coordinating response by

analysing gaps, elaborating response strategy and advocate
for a multi sectorial response.
Providing delivery of essential medical materials for all the
affected provinces

Health

LWF, ADRA, CARITAS Germany:

Proving medical care in the provinces of

UNICEF is working with the ADRA, and CARITAS Germany to Tshopo, Mongala, Kinshasa, Mai-Ndombe
jointly with Doctors without Borders (MSF)
coordinate and provide technical support and stock to assist
government response plans in four affected provinces.
WHO:
Providing epidemiological surveillance and
social mobilization in the Equateur Provinces
Vaccination for 400,000 people in the DRC
capital, Kinshasa

Communicati
on for
development
(C4D)

Providing media strategy jointly with the Ministry of

Communication
Undertaking social mobilization and raising awareness
activities in the provinces affected by the cholera outbreak.
Since the beginning of the epidemic they have reached
135,000 people.

Humanitarian Funds:
Media national campaign for radio broadcasting
and print media

UNICEF DRC Factsheet Cholera Outbreak, August 2016