Luanda: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that the cholera outbreak in Angola has spread to 17 out of the country's 21 provinces.

According to Anadolu Agency, more than 14,000 cholera cases and 505 deaths have been reported since the outbreak began in January 2025. Alarmingly, 50% of these cases involve individuals under the age of 20.

"The Ministry of Health, in coordination with WHO and other development partners, has undertaken a series of urgent response measures, including deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centers and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns," WHO stated in a release.

The statement followed a meeting on Monday hosted by Angola's Health Minister, Silvia Lutucuta, to formally welcome Indrajit Hazarika, the country's new WHO representative. "The meeting marked the beginning of a renewed and reinforced partnership between the government of Angola and WHO, with a central focus on intensifying the national response to the ongoing cholera outbreak," the statement added.