The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a global cholera outbreak, resulting in 1,932 deaths and 194,897 cases. The outbreak, reported between January 1 and May 26, 2024, has affected 24 countries across five WHO regions.

The Eastern Mediterranean Region has recorded the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the South-East Asia Region, and the European Region. No outbreaks have been reported in the Western Pacific Region during this period.

The WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region highlighted that the global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) was depleted until early March 2024. However, by early June 2024, the stockpile surpassed the emergency target of 5 million doses, reaching 6.2 million doses by June 10. Despite this, the demand for the vaccine continues to outpace supply. Since January 2023, 16 countries have requested 92 million doses of OCV, nearly double the 49 million doses produced during this time.

The WHO, in collaboration with partners such as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is working to find long-term solutions for cholera. The agency classified the global resurgence of cholera as a grade three emergency in January 2023, the highest internal level for emergencies within the WHO. Due to the number of outbreaks, their geographic spread, and the shortage of vaccines and other resources, the WHO continues to assess the global risk as very high.

“After decades of progress against cholera, cases are again on the rise, even in countries that have not seen the disease in years,” the WHO stated.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Safe water and sanitation can prevent cholera, and although it can be fatal within hours if untreated, immediate access to treatment can save lives.

The WHO noted that enduring triggers for cholera outbreaks, such as poverty and conflict, are being exacerbated by climate change. Extreme climate events, including floods, cyclones, and droughts, reduce access to clean water and create ideal conditions for cholera to thrive. In 2022, 44 countries reported cholera cases, a 25 percent increase from the 35 countries that reported cases in 2021. This trend continued into 2023, with recent outbreaks being more deadly, recording the highest case fatality rates in over a decade.

“The increase in outbreaks and cases is stretching the global capacity to respond. There is a shortage of cholera tools, including vaccines,” the WHO added.

In Nigeria, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, reported that fatalities from the outbreak have risen to 21, with 350 suspected cases and 15 deaths previously recorded. Similarly, the Ogun State Government confirmed an outbreak resulting in the death of a 62-year-old woman, with five others hospitalized.