Cholera deaths surged 70 percent worldwide last year: WHO

The World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that the number of cholera cases and fatalities experienced a significant increase in the previous year. The organization emphasized the need for additional measures to be taken to combat the preventable disease.
According to recent data from the United Nations agency, the number of cholera-related deaths increased by 71% and the number of cases by 13% in 2023 when compared to the previous year.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at a press conference that cholera resulted in the deaths of 4,000 individuals last year, despite the fact that it is “preventable and easily treatable.”

“Conflict, climate change, unsafe water and sanitation, poverty and displacement all contributed to the rise in cholera outbreaks,” according to him.
The regions that were most severely affected by cholera underwent significant changes. The data indicated that the Middle East and Asia experienced a 32% decrease in the number of cases, while Africa experienced a significant 125 percent increase.

Tedros reported that 22 countries are currently reporting active outbreaks, and thus far this year, there have been over 342,000 cases and 2,400 fatalities.
Sudan, which has been devastated by war, proclaimed a cholera epidemic last month in response to torrential rainfall.

Philippe Barbosa, the World Health Organization’s technical lead on cholera, stated that the figures are highly likely to underestimate the actual extent of the disease’s impact.

He cited modeling research that indicates that there are approximately two million cases of cholera and 100,000 fatalities annually.

Barbosa emphasized that the prevention of these fatalities was “completely morally unacceptable” and that it only costs a few cents.

Tedros reiterated his demand for an increase in vaccine production.

The WHO chief stated that the number of doses generated last year was approximately 36 million, which is only half of the amount requested by affected countries in 2022.

Tedros encouraged other manufacturers to participate, as there is presently only one company producing cholera vaccines: EuBiologics of South Korea.

“While vaccination is an important tool, safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene remain the only long term and sustainable solutions to ending cholera outbreaks,” according to him.

Cholera, which results in severe diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle spasms, is typically contracted by consuming food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium, as per the World Health Organization.