Lebanon Declares End to Cholera Outbreak, Vows Continued Vigilance

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health announced Sunday that the cholera outbreak has ended, citing no new cases recorded since February. This marks a significant milestone after a challenging period that started with the outbreak on October 6, 2022.

“More than 12 weeks have elapsed since the last confirmed case in Lebanon,” the ministry stated, according to the National News Agency.

During the outbreak, 671 confirmed cholera cases were reported. In response, the ministry received over 600,000 doses of cholera vaccines in November 2022 from the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision. These vaccines were distributed primarily to refugees and host communities in the most affected areas, meeting about 90 percent of the vaccination needs.

The ministry highlighted its continued commitment to monitoring acute watery diarrhea, a symptom of cholera, through active surveillance. Furthermore, it will amplify awareness campaigns against the disease, indicating its ongoing vigilance despite the apparent end of the outbreak.

This announcement comes as a relief to Lebanon, a country grappling with multiple crises, including a deep economic crisis and an influx of Syrians displaced by the war there who have made Lebanon the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita in the world.