Malawi’s health ministry will soon launch a second vaccination campaign after receiving 2.9 million doses of the oral cholera vaccine as the outbreak spreads.
The World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated the vaccine’s procurement with funds from the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi).
It comes as the outbreak spread to 27 of Malawi’s 29 districts, killing more than 200 people and infecting 6,868 others since March, according to government data.
“The current outbreak represents the largest epidemic reported in the country in the past 10 years,” the WHO said in a statement.
The most affected age groups are between 21-30 years. Males are disproportionately affected.
“The outbreak is taking place in the context of tropical storm Ana (January 2022) and Cyclone Gombe (March 2022) which caused floods leading to the displacement of a population with low pre-existing immunity that now lacks access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene,” the WHO added.
An earlier cholera vaccination campaign in May reached more than 1.5 million people.
The outbreak was first reported in Malawi’s southern region but currently the most affected districts are in the north.
