KARONGA CHOLERA OUTBREAK REPORT
2015/16
INTRODUCTION
Karonga District has been hit by two cycles of cholera outbreak in this fiscal year (2015/16) as of 17th April 2016 Karonga has registered a total of 78 cholera cases with 6 deaths. The outbreak started in the northern part of Karonga but now it is affecting the central and south. The last time Karonga district had a cholera Outbreak was in 2003, but almost each year the bordering district of Tanzania (Kyela) has an outbreak which also poses as a risk to the district. It should also be noted that Karonga is a flood prone area which exposes it to diarrheal diseases.
FIRST CYCLE
The first cycle began on 27/12/2015 and ended on 30/01/2016. It had total of 11 cases with 1 community death registered, 1 case (last one) originated from Tanzania. It was confined to northern part of Karonga ( T/As Mwakaboko and Kilupula) except the last case T/A Kyungu. The Cases were registered at the following facilities Atupele rural hospital, Iponga health centre, Kaporo rural hospital and Karonga District Hospital.
SECOND CYCLE
The second cycle began on 27/03/2016 and is continuing, it is sporadic in nature. The total number of cases is 67 cases with 5 facility deaths registered as of 17/04/2016. It has extended across the district (T/As Kilupula, Kyungu, Mwirang’ombe and Wasambo). It originated from a fishing community in Ngosi Village T/A kyungu. The Major risk factor is drinking untreated water from Lake Malawi. As of 17/04/2016 the district has a total of 21 cholera inpatients and 4 cholera camps.
Summary of all the camps as of 17/04/2016:
Cumulative number of deaths as of 17/04/2016 = 6 deaths out of 78 cases
Facility based Cholera deaths = 5 (4 deaths at Karonga District Hospital and 1 death at Nyungwe Health Centre)
Community based Cholera death = 1
Case Fatality Rate (CFR) = 7.7%
SUMMARY OF FACILITY DEATHS:
No
Facility
No of deaths
1
Karonga District Hospital
5
2
Nyungwe
1
INTERVENTIONS DONE:
District level:
CHALLENGES
RECOMMENDATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The following have been very supportive financially and technically in the fight against cholera in Karonga district:
INTRODUCTION
Karonga District has been hit by two cycles of cholera outbreak in this fiscal year (2015/16) as of 17th April 2016 Karonga has registered a total of 78 cholera cases with 6 deaths. The outbreak started in the northern part of Karonga but now it is affecting the central and south. The last time Karonga district had a cholera Outbreak was in 2003, but almost each year the bordering district of Tanzania (Kyela) has an outbreak which also poses as a risk to the district. It should also be noted that Karonga is a flood prone area which exposes it to diarrheal diseases.
FIRST CYCLE
The first cycle began on 27/12/2015 and ended on 30/01/2016. It had total of 11 cases with 1 community death registered, 1 case (last one) originated from Tanzania. It was confined to northern part of Karonga ( T/As Mwakaboko and Kilupula) except the last case T/A Kyungu. The Cases were registered at the following facilities Atupele rural hospital, Iponga health centre, Kaporo rural hospital and Karonga District Hospital.
SECOND CYCLE
The second cycle began on 27/03/2016 and is continuing, it is sporadic in nature. The total number of cases is 67 cases with 5 facility deaths registered as of 17/04/2016. It has extended across the district (T/As Kilupula, Kyungu, Mwirang’ombe and Wasambo). It originated from a fishing community in Ngosi Village T/A kyungu. The Major risk factor is drinking untreated water from Lake Malawi. As of 17/04/2016 the district has a total of 21 cholera inpatients and 4 cholera camps.
Summary of all the camps as of 17/04/2016:
- Karonga District Hospital = 11 inpatients
- Nyungwe Health Centre = 3 inpatients
- St Annie’s Mission Hospital = 4 inpatients
- Mlale Health Centre = 3 inpatient
Cumulative number of deaths as of 17/04/2016 = 6 deaths out of 78 cases
Facility based Cholera deaths = 5 (4 deaths at Karonga District Hospital and 1 death at Nyungwe Health Centre)
Community based Cholera death = 1
Case Fatality Rate (CFR) = 7.7%
SUMMARY OF FACILITY DEATHS:
No
Facility
No of deaths
1
Karonga District Hospital
5
2
Nyungwe
1
INTERVENTIONS DONE:
District level:
- Sensitizations of the communities on cholera
- Pot-Pot Chlorination of affected areas for them to have safe drinking water
- Intensified surveillance in the whole district
- Health worker trainings on case management
- Area Development Committee orientations
- Village Health Committee orientations
- Supplies restocking from CMST and neighbouring districts
- School Management Committees briefing
- District Epidemic Management Committee meetings being done every week
- Setting up of Treatment camps in affected areas
- Supervision and supplies deliveries to treatment camps
- Intensified surveillance (Case finding and contact tracing)
- Mobilisation of resources from partners and well wishers
- Use of local radio stations to pass on cholera messages to the whole district
- Daily updating the Epidemiology unit on status of cholera in Karonga
- Briefing of cargo business operators community on 15/04/16. About 200 attended.
- Confirmation of the initial cases before introduction of rapid diagnostic tests
- Supplying Karonga DHO with Cholera Diagnostic Kits to facilitate quick confirmation of Cholera suspects from non – affected areas.
- Training of Laboratory and some Environmental Health staff on how to use the kits.
- UNICEF has mobilized and will be dispatching Cholera supplies such as mouth masks, latex gloves, gumboots, cholera beds, antibiotics, ORS, blankets, chlorine, IV fluids, plastic basins and cups, cannulas, spirit and heavy duty gloves to Karonga by end this week.
CHALLENGES
- Inadequate supplies to manage cases and contain the outbreak (refer to annex 1 attached in the email, for supplies available and gaps including cost)
- Flooding in most areas which has increased the risk of contamination of unprotected water sources
- There is still cholera outbreak in Keyla district (Tanzania) also posing as a risk.
- Most fishing communities still don’t have toilets and are drinking water from the lake
- Delayed disbursement of ORT funding to the District making it difficult for other interventions to be done effectively and on time.
- Inadequate funds for effective preventive activities.
- Filled up temporary pit latrines for cholera camp at Karonga District Hospital.
- Inadequate staff to man the camps.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Need for sustained stakeholder collaboration
- Need for supply and mobilization in responding to current outbreak.
- Much focus to be on preventive activities
- Vigilant case management of patients
- Need for continued and intensive sensitizations
- Need for staff training in cholera management
- Council to strategize on what to do with fishing communities who are leaving along the lake under poor sanitation conditions i.e. without toilets and without access to safe water.
- Need for provision of temporary pit latrines at Karonga District Hospital Camp.
- Need for construction of permanent pit latrines at Karonga District Hospital Camp site as a long term solution to lack of toilets.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The following have been very supportive financially and technically in the fight against cholera in Karonga district:
- Council secretariat
- DHMT
- Stakeholders:
- Plan Malawi Disaster Risk Reduction
- SSDI-PLAN
- DISCOVER-SFA
- WVM
- KA Diocese Carritas Commission
- SOLDEV
- NICE
- FOCUS
- Local media houses (Tuntufye & Dianassour)
- Local leaders
- District Epidemic Management Committee
- Ministry of Health (Epidemiology Unit)
- UNICEF
Please Contact us to learn ways you can help
Please Send a Donation to Help !
Ukhondo Services Foundation
P/Bag 17 - Karonga, Malawi
Mobile No: +265 882 276 645
Edgar Malume Phiri, Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Ukhondo Services Foundation
P/Bag 17 - Karonga, Malawi
Mobile No: +265 882 276 645
Edgar Malume Phiri, Executive Director
Email: [email protected]