The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a concerning rise in global cholera cases and deaths in 2024, with infections up 5% and fatalities surging by 50% compared to 2023. More than 6,000 people died from the preventable and treatable disease last year.
WHO warned the figures likely underestimate the true scale of the crisis. Cholera, an acute diarrheal illness caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, remains a marker of inequity and underdevelopment, thriving where access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is limited.
“Sixty countries reported cholera cases in 2024, up from 45 the previous year,” the report said. “Africa, the Middle East, and Asia accounted for 98% of all infections.”
The report highlighted multiple drivers of the surge, including conflict, climate change, population displacement, and chronic gaps in water and sanitation infrastructure. In 2024, 12 countries each recorded more than 10,000 cases; seven of them experiencing large outbreaks for the first time.
The reemergence of cholera in Comoros, after 15 years without cases, underscored the continuing risk of global spread.
Africa’s case fatality rate rose from 1.4% in 2023 to 1.9% in 2024, exposing weaknesses in fragile health systems and limited access to care. WHO noted that a quarter of all deaths occurred outside health facilities, reflecting urgent gaps in community access to treatment.
Most cholera patients experience mild to moderate diarrhea and can recover with prompt treatment using oral rehydration solution. However, without care, the disease can quickly become fatal.
The UN health agency stressed that preventing cholera requires universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, alongside timely information, rapid treatment, and vaccination during outbreaks.
It also urged governments and donors to strengthen disease surveillance and diagnostics to better guide responses.
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