While uncommon and NOT endemic to South Africa, the world is currently (and since 1961) experiencing the 7th global cholera outbreak according to historic record with more than 50 countries having endemic cholera.
The current cholera outbreak in South Africa was signaled by the announcement of two laboratory confirmed cases on 5 February by the Gauteng province. The two cases returned from Malawi to Diepsloot, Johannesburg by bus on 30 January. As of 24 May, Gauteng province reported a total of 29 laboratory confirmed cases and 17 deaths, with nine cases reported in the Free State.
The disease cholera is a potentially life-threatening secretory diarrhoea caused by a curved Gram-negative bacillus, Vibrio cholerae with the O1 and O139 serogroups causing epidemic cholera. The natural reservoir for V. cholerae is brackish estuarine water. Conditions of poor sanitation and the lack of access to safe drinking water are central to epidemic outbreaks propagating through fecal-oral transmission in many parts of the world, as is currently occurring in South Africa.
Cholera Outbreak 2023: Update and Reminders