Zimbabwe - Cholera Outbreak: Fact Sheet #7, Fiscal Year (FY) 2009
Since the cholera outbreak began in August 2008, the disease has spread to all of Zimbabwe's 10 provinces and 55 of Zimbabwe's 62 districts. As of February 1, cholera had caused more than 3,200 deaths, with more than 62,900 cases reported and a case fatality rate (CFR) of 5.1 percent, according to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO). ' On January 29, the cumulative number of reported cases exceeded WHO's earlier worst-case projection of 60,000 cases, prompting WHO to increase the worst-case projection, now ranging from 81,000 to 115,000 cases. WHO noted that upcoming seasonal floods have the potential to exacerbate the outbreak, which could continue for several months. ' From January 18 to 24, WHO reported a third consecutive weekly increase in new cholera cases, but a decrease in both weekly cholera deaths and the weekly CFR. The weekly institutional CFR, measuring only cholera deaths in health facilities, cholera treatment centers (CTCs), and cholera treatment units (CTUs), declined to 1.3 percent, likely indicating improvements in case management.