WHO Reports Global Cholera Cases; Deaths Rose in 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a rise in global cholera cases and deaths in 2024, underscoring the persistent impact of conflict, climate change and weak sanitation systems on public health. According to WHO’s data, cholera cases increased by 5% and deaths surged by 50% compared to 2023, with more than 6,000 lives lost to the preventable and treatable disease. WHO cautioned that these figures underestimate the true scale of the epidemic.

In 2024, 60 countries reported cholera cases, up from 45 the previous year. Africa, the Middle East and Asia accounted for 98% of the global burden. Twelve countries recorded more than 10,000 cases each, with seven of them experiencing large outbreaks for the first time. Comoros also reported a resurgence of cholera after more than 15 years without outbreaks, highlighting the disease’s enduring threat.

The case fatality ratio in Africa rose from 1.4% in 2023 to 1.9% in 2024, reflecting gaps in access to care and the fragility of health systems. One in four deaths occurred outside health facilities, pointing to limited treatment access and the need for greater community engagement.

WHO emphasized that governments, donors, and communities must expand access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services; strengthen health systems; and improve access to treatment and vaccines. In 2024, a newly prequalified oral cholera vaccine, Euvichol-S, entered the global stockpile, helping maintain reserves above the emergency threshold of 5 million doses for the first half of 2025.

Demand, however, continued to outpace supply. Requests for 61 million doses were submitted to the global stockpile in 2024, with 40 million approved for emergency use across 16 countries under a single-dose regimen introduced due to shortages.

Preliminary data show that cholera outbreaks have persisted into 2025, with 31 countries reporting cases so far this year. WHO continues to classify the global cholera risk as very high and is working with countries to improve surveillance, strengthen case management, supply vaccines and medicines, and engage communities in prevention efforts.