Record low number of dracunculiasis cases reported in first quarter of 2013
Treating patient with emerging worm in Ethiopia.
20 May 2013 | Geneva
The dramatic decrease in the number of dracunculiasis cases reported to the WHO continues as a result of sustained surveillance, case-containment and field operations in countries endemic for the disease.
Only six confirmed cases were reported during the first quarter of 2013, mostly from 1 February to 31 March 2013. During the whole month of January no cases were reported to WHO for the first time since the dracunculiasis eradication campaign began.
The 6 confirmed cases so far in 2013 represent a 90% reduction, compared with 61 cases reported to WHO during the same period in 2012. All 6 reported cases are from South Sudan. Countries currently endemic for dracunculiasis are: Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan.
fact buffet
Cases – January–March 2013
6Cases from 1 January to 28 February 2013, compared with 61 cases for the same period in 2012
Monthly report on dracunculiasis cases January–March 2013Total cases for 2012
542Cases reported during 2012, compared with 1058 in 2011
Analysis of situation and trendsEndemic in 2012
4 countriesEndemic countries (Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan) compared with 20 in 1990
CertificationCountry situation
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Dracunculiasis: WHO upbeat about eradicating dracunculiasis. Audio summary, 00:06:30 [mp3 3,70Mb].
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