The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has announced a suspected cholera outbreak in the Opuwo District of the Kunene Region following the admission of several individuals showing symptoms consistent with the disease.
According to a media release issued by the Executive Director of MoHSS, the outbreak was first flagged on 11 June 2025, when the Kunene Regional Health Directorate notified the Ministry of two suspected cases involving four-year-old children from the same household. The children were taken to Opuwo District Hospital on 9 June 2025 with symptoms of acute watery diarrhea and severe dehydration.
Tragically, one of the children died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The second child remains in isolation and is reported to be recovering.
Laboratory samples were collected from both cases, and preliminary test results received on 11 and 12 June confirmed the presence of Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria responsible for cholera. However, the Ministry is still awaiting confirmatory laboratory results before declaring an official outbreak.
On 13 June 2025, two additional cases—a 5-year-old and a 35-year-old, also from the same household—were admitted to the hospital with similar symptoms. Both are currently in stable condition in isolation.
The Ministry emphasized that there is no indication the infection was imported, as there was no travel history or contact with visitors from outside the region. Investigations ruled out recent participation in large public gatherings such as funerals or weddings.
MoHSS is operating under World Health Organization guidelines, which define a cholera outbreak as at least one laboratory-confirmed case in a locally infected person. While a final confirmation is pending, precautionary public health interventions have already been implemented, including intensified surveillance, community education, and the promotion of early treatment-seeking behavior.
Authorities are urging the public to remain calm, observe hygiene practices, and report any symptoms immediately to health facilities.
For further updates, residents are advised to follow official channels and avoid the spread of unverified information.
