The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a total of 307,433 cholera cases and 2,326 deaths across 26 countries from January to July this year.
The WHO’s data shows that the Eastern Mediterranean Region has experienced the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the South-East Asia Region, the Region of the Americas, and the European Region.
The response to the cholera outbreaks is being hampered by a severe shortage of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV), with demand significantly outstripping supply. Since January 2023, 18 countries have requested 105 million doses, nearly double the 55 million doses produced during the same period.
In January 2023, the WHO classified the global cholera resurgence as a Grade 3 emergency, its highest level for emergencies. With the rising number of outbreaks, their increasing geographic spread, and ongoing vaccine and resource shortages, the WHO continues to assess the global risk as very high, maintaining the Grade 3 emergency status.
The WHO also noted that warming temperatures, which allow cholera bacteria to survive longer, have exacerbated outbreaks and contributed to the highest death rates in a decade.
