Cholera should not be killing anyone in 21st century: WHO

Philippe Barboza, cholera team lead at the World Health Organisation (WHO), said that this year already, 100,000 cholera cases and 1,300 deaths had been reported.

Preliminary data showed that 810,000 and 5,900 deaths had been reported in the year 2024, a large increase from 2023. These numbers were an underestimate, as official reporting remained incomplete. This disease should not exist in the 21st century, but it was now regrettably spreading to countries where it had not existed before, including Namibia and Kenya. The case fatality ratio in some countries went above one percent.

In Angola, for example, from where Dr. Barboza had just returned, the fatality rate was over 4%. Rapid spread to other parts of Angola and neighbouring countries remained very concerning. Angola’s caseload represented 36% of the global cases in 2025. WHO and partners had dispatched rapid deployment teams and were establishing facilities and training staff.

Since July 2024, 12,000 acute cholera cases had been reported in Myanmar, said Dr. Barboza. Globally, conflict along with climate change had exacerbated the situation. Haiti, on the other hand, had no funds left to deal with its own cholera outbreak, he added.

At the end of March, he continued, WHO had 5.6 million treatment doses for emergency responses. Demand remained very high, so further expansion of vaccine production was necessary. Together, with joint action and further investment, further outbreaks could be prevented. Dr Barboza stressed once again that cholera should not be killing anyone in the 21st century.

WAM