Cholera Outbreak Spreads Across Northern Cameroon as Cases Top 1,000

YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON — A cholera outbreak is spreading across northern Cameroon, with more than 1,000 cases and 28 deaths reported since mid-July, according to health authorities.

Health workers are stepping up containment measures as suspected and confirmed patients continue arriving at treatment centres across the affected region.

At Mora District Hospital, medical teams have established precautions to limit the spread of the waterborne disease. Amine Ozong Kavaye, general supervisor at the Mora treatment centre, said the facility received its first case on July 18 a three-year-old child from Aïssa.

The centre has since recorded 25 cases, including nine patients who tested negative through rapid diagnostic tests and one death. Two patients are currently hospitalised, while the facility is receiving an average of one to two new patients each day.

Response Intensifies Across Northern Districts

The response is being coordinated across the districts of Fotokol, Mada, Makary and Kolofata, with support from Doctors Without Borders.

At the Mora treatment centre, three tents have been established to separate suspected cases from patients undergoing treatment. People arriving with suspected symptoms are tested before being transferred for specialised treatment if they test positive.

The measures are intended to reduce the risk of transmission within health facilities while ensuring patients receive timely care.

Hygiene Campaigns Target Communities

Health authorities and community health workers are also taking the response directly into affected communities.

Door-to-door awareness campaigns are being conducted to educate residents about cholera prevention, with particular emphasis on avoiding open defecation and improving hygiene and sanitation practices.

Cholera is commonly transmitted through contaminated food or water, making access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation crucial in containing outbreaks.

Concerns Over Water and Sanitation

Health officials are particularly concerned about limited access to clean drinking water and poor sanitation in parts of northern Cameroon.

The situation is especially urgent as authorities race to contain the outbreak before the rainy season intensifies, potentially increasing the risk of contaminated water sources and further transmission.

The latest outbreak comes amid a broader global cholera challenge. The World Health Organization has reported significant cholera activity globally in 2026, with tens of thousands of cases recorded across multiple regions by May.

For communities in northern Cameroon, health officials are urging residents to maintain strict hygiene, use safe water and seek medical attention promptly when symptoms develop as efforts to contain the outbreak continue.