Cholera in Haiti

On October 20, 2010, an outbreak of cholera was confirmed in Haiti for the first time in more than a century, ten months after the catastrophic earthquake that killed over 200,000 people and displaced over 1 million.  

This cholera outbreak is the worst in recent history with over 665,000 cases and 8,183 deaths ^{1, 2}. Since the beginning of the outbreak, CDC has worked closely with the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) to combat the cholera epidemic and reduce the impact of the disease.

Rapid response from CDC, MSPP, and partners prevented thousands of deaths from cholera. However, new cholera cases continue to emerge throughout Haiti. Experience from past cholera outbreaks around the world suggests that Haiti may have ongoing cholera transmission for years to come. Improving Haiti's water and sanitation infrastructure is critical to achieving large health gains and reducing the opportunity for cholera to spread.