The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that more than 409,000 cholera and acute watery diarrhoea cases, including 4,738 deaths, were reported in 31 countries between 1 January and 17 August 2025.
WHO on Friday issued a warning of a very high risk of spread noted that conflict, floods and weak health systems fuel outbreaks.
According to the global health organisation, about six countries have recorded fatality rates above 1%, pointing to poor access to timely care.
Resurgent outbreaks in Chad and the Republic of Congo, alongside ongoing epidemics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Sudan, are straining fragile health systems.
Conflict, displacement and climate shocks—particularly flooding—are worsening the spread in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
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WHO’s latest situation update noted over 67,000 new cases and 624 deaths in July alone, reflecting increases compared with June. The Eastern Mediterranean and African regions remain the most affected.
Global stocks of Oral Cholera Vaccine fell to 4.1 million doses in July, below the emergency threshold of five million, raising concern over the ability to launch rapid immunisation drives.
WHO, working with ministries of health and partners, is scaling up surveillance, treatment, WASH interventions and vaccine campaigns.
On 26 August, Africa CDC and WHO launched a continental response plan, following a political pledge by African leaders to eliminate cholera by 2030.
The organisation reiterated that clean water, sanitation and hygiene remain the only long-term solutions to ending the crisis.
