03.10.2025 08:34
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that this year's cholera outbreak has spread to 23 countries and that more than 4,200 people have lost their lives so far.
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WHO Africa Regional Office Acting Director for Emergency Situations Patrick Abok stated in a press conference held online in Angola that the region is facing some of the most challenging health emergencies in recent years.
Abok drew attention to the new Ebola outbreak that emerged in the Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), noting that it is straining the already fragile health system alongside cholera, mpox, measles, and other diseases.
SEEN IN 23 COUNTRIES
Patrick Abok said, "This year alone, more than 190,000 people have contracted cholera in 23 countries, and over 4,200 people have died, with outbreaks actively ongoing in 16 of these countries. Due to insufficient access to safe water and sanitation facilities, cholera continues to pose a serious public health risk in areas experiencing humanitarian crises."
Abok noted that the WHO supports cholera treatment centers, provides supplies, and conducts vaccination campaigns to prevent the spread of the disease, reporting that more than 15 million doses of cholera vaccine have been administered this year.
CASES SPREADING RAPIDLY
Abok also pointed out that cholera cases are spreading rapidly in countries like Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, and the DRC due to poor sanitation conditions and climate-related flooding disasters. Cholera is known as a bacterial infection transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water or food.
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