Situation summary of cholera in the Region
In Cuba, between epidemiological week (EW) 27 of 2012 and EW 34 of 2013, there have been 678 confirmed cholera cases, including three deaths. No new cases have been reported since 24 August 2013.
In the Dominican Republic, since the beginning of the epidemic (November 2010) through EW 49 of 2013, there have been a total of 31,271 suspected cholera cases, including 462 deaths.
Between EW 1 and EW 49 of 2013, there have been 1,907 suspected cases, including 41 deaths, registered at the national level, with a monthly average of 173 cases and 4 deaths. Two provinces, Baoruco and Santiago, have registered more cases than the monthly average. While 31 of the 32 provinces have reported cases, eight of the provinces account for 80% of the cases registered in 2013, these are the provinces of Altagracia, Azua, Boaruco, La Vega, San Cristóbal, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, and Santo Domingo. There have been 75 % less reported cases in 2013 compared to the same period of 2012 (1,907 versus 7, 703 cases respectively), however the 2013 case fatality rate has been higher at 2.1 % compared to 2012 (0.8 %) and 2011 (1.7 %).
Since EW 46 of 2013, a decrease in the number of the suspected cases has been recorded, following the increase registered in EW 43.
In Haiti, since the beginning of the epidemic (October 2010) and until EW 48 of 2013, there have been 693,875 cholera cases, of which 387,820 were hospitalized (55.9 %) and 8,482 died. The cumulative case-fatality rate remains 1.2 %, with variations ranging from 4.4 %, in the department of Sud Est to 0.6 %, in Port-au-Prince.
Between EW 1 and EW 48 of 2013, 55,736 cholera cases and 431 deaths have been registered with a monthly average of 5,066 cases and 36 deaths1 and with a weekly average of 1,140 cases and 9 deaths. The monthly average of cases registered in 2013 is lower than recorded in 2011 (29,167 cholera cases and 243 deaths) and in 2012 (8,429 cases and 77 deaths). Four departments (Artibonite, Centre, Nord and Ouest) have registered a greater number of cases than the average and two (Artibonite and Ouest) account for 52% of the total registered cases of 2013.
In the past five weeks an increasing trend has been noted, coinciding with the rainy season and similar to the previous year.
In Mexico, from EW 37 to EW 51 of 2013, there have been a total of 187 confirmed cases of infection with Vibrio cholerae O:1 Ogawa toxigenic, including one death, registered. Between EW 50 and EW 51 three additional cases have been reported, one in the Federal District and two in the state of Veracruz. Of the cases, three are residents of the Federal District, 160 of the state of Hidalgo, 9 of Mexico State, two of the state of San Luis Potosi and 13 of the state of Veracruz.