Cholera has killed more than 3,000 people worldwide in 2026
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
The World Health Organization says cholera has killed more than 3,000 people since the start of the year, nearly nine in ten of them in Africa. It maintains its target of reducing global cases by 90% by 2030, according to Punch.
Cholera has killed more than 3,000 people worldwide since the start of 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, and it maintains its target of reducing global cases by 90% by 2030, according to AFP. Nearly nine in ten deaths occur in Africa, according to Lorenzo Pezzoli, the WHO official responsible for bacterial diseases with epidemic potential.
In 2025, the disease killed nearly 7,900 people, making it “the deadliest year for cholera since 1999”. Angola, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen accounted for around 90% of cases and deaths last year. Data for the first nine months of 2026, however, show a fall in deaths.
The WHO warns that the El Niño phenomenon could worsen outbreaks, as floods and water shortages foster the disease. To reach the 2030 target, the WHO and the global vaccination alliance Gavi are relying on mass vaccination campaigns and access to safe drinking water. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved 71 million doses last year, funded by Gavi. Pezzoli judged the target achievable because “the work is already under way”, while reminding that cholera can kill “within hours” if it is not treated.
