Washington, D.C., September 30th, 2022 – On September 19th, health authorities confirmed the first cholera case in northwest (NW) Syria in the Jarablus district of Aleppo governorate. Within 10 days, the number of cases in Jarablus increased to 17 cases, in addition to 22 confirmed cases in the Ras al Ein and Tal Abyad districts.

 NW Syria is the last area of the country to confirm cases of cholera amidst a growing epidemic. During the period between August 25th and September 30th, surveillance data revealed that 169 cases of cholera, including 18 deaths, had been reported across NW and NE Syria,  according to EWARN.

“Last resort sites” such as camps and camp-like settings continue to be at particular risk for poor health outcomes in the face of a cholera outbreak due to shortages in water and hygiene supplies, high risk of communicable disease transmission, and frequent overcrowding and long wait times at health facilities.