Cholera has killed more than 3,000 people since January, WHO says
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
Cholera has killed more than 3,000 people worldwide since the start of the year, nearly nine in ten of them in Africa. The WHO and Gavi aim to cut cases by 90% by 2030 through mass vaccination, according to Lorenzo Pezzoli, the WHO official responsible for these diseases.
Cholera has killed more than 3,000 people worldwide since the start of 2026, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which spoke on Tuesday, according to Vanguard. Lorenzo Pezzoli, the WHO lead for bacterial diseases with epidemic potential, notes that nearly nine of these deaths in ten occur in Africa. Data for the first nine months of 2026, however, show a decline in deaths.
The year 2025 was the deadliest since 1999, with nearly 7,900 deaths, according to the same official. The WHO also warns about the El Niño weather phenomenon, which could worsen outbreaks, as the disease is favoured by both flooding and water shortages.
Seven countries, Angola, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen, accounted for around 90% of cases and deaths worldwide in 2025. The WHO and the global vaccine alliance Gavi aim to reduce cases by 90% by 2030, through mass vaccination campaigns and better access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
