In the south-eastern Haut-Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 14 soldiers have lost their lives, and approximately 500 others have been affected by a cholera outbreak, according to statements from the military reported by local media.
During a meeting with a delegation from the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) office in Lubumbashi, Gen Eddy Kapend, the commander of the 22nd military region at the Mura military training center, confirmed the deaths on Tuesday.
Gen Kapend shared, “As of 72 hours ago, the number of patients under treatment had reached 144. We have documented 14 fatalities but have successfully treated many individuals who have since returned to their duties.”
He attributed the outbreak to unsanitary conditions prevailing at the military camp.
The incident comes on the heels of a cholera outbreak in Kalemie, a city in the neighboring Tanganyika province, in July 2023, which claimed the lives of at least ten individuals.