Liberia Cholera Factsheet
CHOLERA OVERVIEW
The seventh cholera pandemic was first reported in Liberia in 1970. Since 1990, large-scale epidemics occurred in 1996 and 20031. The general trend shows that annual case numbers have markedly decreased since 2003 (Fig. 1).
During the period 2011 to mid-2019, epidemiological surveillance reported 5,933 suspected cholera cases2. The majority of cases were reported in Montserrado County (67.5%)2 (Table 1).
Possible cross-border cholera transmission between Liberia and Sierra Leone has been reported3.
CHOLERA DISTRIBUTION
Between 2011 and mid-2019, Montserrado County reported the majority of suspected cholera cases (67.5%)2. Montserrado is the most populous county in Liberia, and the national capital Monrovia is located in the county (Figs. 2 and 4, Tables I and II).
Rivercess County reported 6.4% of all suspected cholera cases2. Rivercess is located in central Liberia along the Atlantic Ocean coast (Figs. 2 and 4, Tables I and II).
Maryland County reported 5.6% of all suspected cholera cases2. Maryland is located in southeastern Liberia along the Atlantic Ocean coast and shares a border with Ivory Coast (Figs. 2 and 4, Tables I and II).
Nimba County reported 4.1% of all suspected cholera cases2. Nimba is located in north-central Liberia and shares a border with Ivory Coast and Guinea (Figs. 2 and 4, Tables I and II).
Over the near nine-year period, the other counties in Liberia each reported less than 4% of all suspected cholera cases2 (Figs. 2 and 4, Table II).
From 2013 to 2018, cholera case numbers did not increase during the rainy season in Liberia from May to October4. The weekly cholera case numbers during this six-year period are shown in Figure 3.
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