Cholera Mortality during Urban Epidemic, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, August 16, 2015-January 16, 20161

Abstract

In 2015, a cholera epidemic occurred in Tanzania; most cases and deaths occurred in Dar es Salaam early in the outbreak. We evaluated cholera mortality through passive surveillance, burial permits, and interviews conducted with decedents' caretakers. Active case finding identified 101 suspected cholera deaths. Routine surveillance had captured only 48 (48%) of all cholera deaths, and burial permit assessments captured the remainder. We interviewed caregivers of 56 decedents to assess cholera management behaviors. Of 51 decedents receiving home care, 5 (10%) used oral rehydration solution after becoming ill. Caregivers reported that 51 (93%) of 55 decedents with known time of death sought care before death; 16 (29%) of 55 delayed seeking care for >6 h. Of the 33 (59%) community decedents, 20 (61%) were said to have been discharged from a health facility before death. Appropriate and early management of cholera cases can reduce the number of cholera deaths.

Keywords: Tanzania; Vibrio cholerae; bacteria; cholera; epidemic; epidemiology; global health security; mortality; surveillance.

Figure 1

Study population for cholera mortality evaluation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, August 16, 2015–January 16, 2016.

Figure 2

Suspected and confirmed cholera cases (A) and deaths (B) from cholera mortality evaluation and burial permit assessment, by week, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, August 16, 2015–January 16, 2016. CTC deaths are deaths in patients >2 years of age with suspected or confirmed cholera who died following admission to a hospital or CTC. Community deaths were deaths in persons >2 years of age highly suspected of having cholera or having culture-confirmed cholera who died in the community or en route to a CTC. The date of death could not be determined for 6 decedents who were therefore excluded from the epidemic curves. CTC, cholera treatment center.