What happened, where and when?

Lebanon is experiencing its fi rst outbreak of cholera in a generation at a time when its healthcare and coping capacity is badly eroded by complex overlapping crises.

The first case of cholera in the region was detected in Syria on 10 September 2022. The illness, caused by ingesting bacteria found in contaminated water or food, rapidly spread and soon crossed the border into Lebanon. The first case in Lebanon was reported to WHO on 6 October, marking the fi rst appearance of the disease in the country since 1993.