A cholera outbreak has been declared in Syria, posing a serious threat to public health. Since 25 August, 936 suspected cases have been recorded, resulting in at least eight deaths.

The outbreak is centred in the northern Aleppo region, where more than 70% of the suspected cases have been recorded, and Deir al-Zor where more than 20% were registered. A smaller number have been recorded in Raqqa, al-Hasakah, Hama and Lattakia.

The outbreak was declared following 15 confirmed laboratory cases, including one patient death. As it stands, the number of confirmed cholera cases stands at 26, 20 of which in Aleppo, 4 in Lattakia and 2 in Damascus. 

The outbreak has its roots in Syria’s ongoing water crisis. Drought and the destruction of infrastructure have led to severe water shortages, forcing families to drink unsafe water. This causes diseases such as cholera to spread. 

Our team is on the ground working to stop the outbreak in its tracks. As well as providing life-saving medical care, we’re distributing hygiene kits and running awareness sessions on prevention and early detection. 

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