2022 cholera outbreak in Lebanon
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In October 2022, an outbreak of cholera began in Lebanon. It is likely the result of a serious outbreak in neighboring Syria, which is itself traced back to contaminated water in the Euphrates.
This outbreak is the first incidence of cholera in Lebanon since 1993. By December 9, there stands a total of 5,105 cholera suspected and confirmed cases have been reported along with a total of 23 associated deaths.[1] In June 2023, the Lebanon Ministry of Health announced that the cholera outbreak that began in October 2022 was over.[2]
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of a species of bacterium known as Vibrio cholerae.[3] Symptoms may range from none to mild to severe.[4] They include large amounts of watery diarrhea as well as vomiting and muscle cramps. Diarrhea can be so severe that it leads within hours to severe dehydration and kidney failure.[5]
If people with cholera are treated quickly and properly, the mortality rate is less than 1%; with untreated cholera, the mortality rate rises to 50–60%.[6]
Outbreak in Syria
A cholera outbreak is currently ongoing in Syria which was declared officially on September 10, 2022. Between September 10 and 30, 10,000 suspected cases have been detected.[7] On 22 October 2022, the Syria Ministry of Health reported a cholera outbreak in 13 of 14 governorates, with a total of 44 deaths and 942 confirmed cases.[8]
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator stated that according to a rapid assessment, the outbreak is linked to people drinking unsafe water from the Euphrates and using contaminated water to irrigate crops, resulting in food contamination. He said that the outbreak was compounded by the ongoing civil war, as much of the already vulnerable population of Syria is reliant on unsafe water sources.[9]