Nine cholera cases have been confirmed and one death recorded in Buea, chief town of Southwest region of Cameroon since the declaration of the cholera outbreak last week, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Cameroon said on Wednesday.
Officials have expressed concerns that the epidemic could spread even more rapidly in the town that is hosting several internally displaced persons escaping from an armed separatist conflict principally in the rural areas of the region.
“The cholera outbreak declared in Buea is very concerning due to limited access to clean water, a health system weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that Buea town is hosting thousands of displaced people due to insecurity in the region,” OCHA said in a statement.
“Humanitarian actors are supporting the Regional Delegation of Public Health to develop a robust and rapid response, including the establishment of a Cholera Treatment Centre at Buea Regional hospital,” the statement added.
On Friday, health authorities in the region called on the residents to “be on the guard” and adopt hygiene and sanitation practices.
Cholera spreads through contaminated food and drinking water, causing diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
