Burunga on alert : cholera is gaining ground, authorities mobilized

SOS Médias Burundi

Burunga, December 9, 2025 – 260 confirmed cases in Mvugo and Mugerama, 2 deaths, and new outbreaks detected in Rutumo : the cholera epidemic is spreading rapidly along the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Health authorities now fear a large-scale outbreak, fueled by a lack of drinking water and inadequate sanitation infrastructure.

A high-level meeting was held last Saturday in Nyanza district, chaired by the chief of staff of the governor of Burunga in southern Burundi. The Minister of Health, accompanied by her partners—WHO (World Health Organization), the Red Cross, UNICEF, and Doctors Without Borders—painted a worrying picture of the situation.

The spread of the disease is primarily linked to the consumption of untreated water, poor hygiene, and inadequate sanitation. Many lakeside communities remain dependent on Lake Tanganyika or unprotected water sources, significantly increasing the risk of contamination.

To contain the outbreak, CAMEBU (Central Drug Supply Agency of Burundi) deployed a truckload of medication. 150 hand pumps, water chlorination products, and hygiene awareness kits were distributed. Three additional ambulances were also announced to facilitate the rapid evacuation of infected individuals.

REGIDESO, the sole public utility responsible for water and electricity distribution in Burundi, was called upon to ensure a safe supply of drinking water, independent of the lake water, which was deemed unfit for consumption. Furthermore, the critical condition of the latrines at the Mvugo primary school and those used by fishermen was highlighted, necessitating urgent sanitation interventions.

The epidemic has now spread beyond the borders of Burunga province. Cases have been reported in the north of the commercial city of Bujumbura, as well as in the Cibitoke region in the northwest of the country. The latter is currently hosting an influx of refugees fleeing violence in eastern DRC, increasing the risk of contamination due to overcrowding and limited access to clean water.

While awaiting lasting solutions, the Civil Protection service continues distributing drinking water. Health authorities are urging the population to drink only treated or boiled water, to practice good hand hygiene, and to seek medical attention promptly at the first sign of any symptoms, in order to curb the spread of the epidemic.