The World Health Organization (WHO) warned two years ago of the resurgence of cholera outbreaks and that so far there are 24 countries with active outbreaks, some of which are experiencing a serious crisis.

Although the data available to the WHO is insufficient, the cases reported in 2022 have doubled those of 2021, and this year's data confirms that the recovery is continuing worldwide.

Countries such as Afghanistan, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo), Malawi, Nigeria, Somalia and Syria have each registered more than 10,000 suspected and confirmed cases, representing an increase in both outbreaks and their scale.

The disease is an intestinal infection that spreads through water and food contaminated with feces and is closely related to underdevelopment due to a lack of drinking water and sanitation facilities, conditions that are aggravated by extreme weather events such as floods, droughts or cyclones.

The demand for anti-infective materials has caused the International Coordination Group (GIC), which manages the emergency supply of vaccines, to suspend the two-dose vaccination and use just one.

For its part, the WHO helps these countries with public health surveillance, case management and prevention measures, the delivery of essential medical supplies, the coordination of mobilizations on the ground with partners and support for risk communication and community participation.

The WHO has also requested 160.4 million dollars from the global strategic plan for preparedness and response, in addition to releasing 16.6 million dollars from the World Health Organization's Contingency Fund for Emergencies. (Lusa)