Africa: Cholera Deaths Soared in 2025, Africa Having 90% of cases - UN
[allAfrica] Geneva -- Cholera deaths increased globally by 30 percent in 2025, despite fewer cases being reported to the World Health Organization, with five countries in Africa accounting for around 90 percent of all cases, the WHO said on Tuesday.
In 2025, cholera deaths globally rose by 30 percent, with a significant concentration in Africa, where five countries accounted for nearly 90 percent of all cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 47 countries had 451,499 cholera cases and 7,870 deaths in 2025, marking the highest annual toll since 1999. Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, expressed concern that no one should die from cholera when effective prevention and treatment measures exist.
The WHO African region experienced the steepest increase, with a 34 percent rise in cases and a 58 percent surge in deaths compared to 2024. Dr Ihekweazu emphasized that limited investments in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, coupled with stronger disease surveillance, community engagement, vaccination, and quality care, could significantly curb the trend.
Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria, spreads through contaminated food and water and can be fatal if severe dehydration is not promptly treated. Meningitis also posed a significant threat in Africa, with 24 out of the 26 countries in the meningitis belt reporting 21,526 suspected cases and 971 deaths in 2025. The human plague, primarily affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar, resulted in 3,847 suspected cases and 423 deaths between 2019 and 2025.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
