WHO Warns of Escalating Global Cholera, Says Africa, Middle East, Asia Accounted for 98% of reported cholera cases in 2024
PulseNets has learnt from the World Health Organisation’s newly released 2024 cholera report that global cholera cases and deaths from the preventable disease rose sharply last year. The world health body revealed the alarming figures in a statement obtained by PulseNets on Friday, underscoring a worsening public health emergency.
According to the WHO, reported cholera infections increased by five percent while deaths skyrocketed by 50 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, with more than 6,000 lives lost. PulseNets learnt that “These reported numbers are deeply troubling but remain underestimates of cholera’s true burden. Conflict, climate change, mass displacement, and chronic failures in water, sanitation, and hygiene systems continue to drive the spread of cholera, a disease triggered by the vibrio cholerae bacterium and transmitted swiftly through water contaminated by faeces.”
The organisation disclosed that 60 countries recorded cholera cases in 2024, a rise from 45 nations the previous year. “The overwhelming burden remained in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, which together represented 98 percent of all documented cases,” WHO told PulseNets.
PulseNets learnt that the scale of outbreaks expanded, with 12 countries each logging over 10,000 cases. Seven of those nations faced major outbreaks for the first time last year. The statement highlighted the dramatic resurgence of cholera in Comoros after more than 15 years without a reported outbreak, signalling the enduring global transmission risk.
WHO further revealed that Africa’s case fatality ratio rose from 1.4 percent in 2023 to 1.9 percent in 2024, exposing gaps in life-saving treatment and fragile health systems. The world health body told PulseNets that “One in four cholera deaths occurred in communities outside health facilities, reflecting serious deficiencies in access to care. Governments, donors, and local communities must ensure people can obtain safe water, practice proper hygiene, receive accurate information, and access vaccines and treatment swiftly during outbreaks. Enhanced surveillance and diagnostics are vital to steer these responses, and expanded investment in vaccine production remains critical.”
PulseNets obtained confirmation that a new oral cholera vaccine, Euvichol-S®, earned WHO prequalification early in 2024 and joined the global stockpile. This breakthrough kept average stock levels above the emergency benchmark of five million doses for the first half of 2025. However, due to sustained high demand, the temporary switch from a two-dose to a single-dose regimen persisted through 2024 and into 2025.
The statement added that “In 2024 alone, 61 million oral cholera vaccine doses were requested from the global stockpile, and a record 40 million were cleared for emergency use across 16 countries in reactive, single-dose campaigns. Despite this, supply still lagged behind demand into 2025. Preliminary reports show the crisis is ongoing, with 31 countries already reporting cholera outbreaks since January.”
Also Read: WHO says $16 million released to tackle Global Cholera
WHO assessed the worldwide cholera risk as very high and reaffirmed its urgent response to prevent further deaths and contain outbreaks. The health agency confirmed to PulseNets its continued support for affected nations through intensified surveillance, improved case management, essential medical supplies, partner coordination for field deployments, and robust community risk communication and engagement.
