Geneva:Global cholera deaths rose by 30% in 2025, reaching their highest annual level in more than two decades, despite a decline in reported cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to Anadolu Agency, the WHO's latest data reveals that 47 countries reported 451,499 cholera cases and 7,870 deaths last year. This represents the most significant annual death toll reported to the WHO since 1999. The agency cautioned that these figures are based on reported surveillance data, and the actual global burden may be considerably higher due to underreporting.
Angola, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen were responsible for approximately 90% of all reported cases and deaths. Africa experienced the heaviest impact, seeing a 34% increase in reported cases and a 58% rise in deaths compared to 2024.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program, highlighted the urgency of addressing this issue, stating, "No one should be dying from cholera today when we have the tools to prevent and treat this disease." Notably, more than one in five reported cholera deaths occurred outside health facilities, suggesting that many patients did not receive timely care.
The WHO reported a significant increase in oral cholera vaccine production, which more than doubled from around 30 million doses in 2022 to approximately 80 million doses annually in 2025.
In addition to cholera, the WHO reported on other infectious diseases. In 2025, 24 out of 26 countries in the African meningitis surveillance network reported 21,526 suspected cases and 971 deaths, resulting in a 4.5% fatality rate. Vaccination efforts have significantly reduced meningococcal meningitis caused by serogroup A, with cases dropping by over 99% among vaccinated populations. Niger became the first country to conduct a nationwide campaign with a broader five-strain vaccine in 2025.
Between 2019 and 2025, 10 countries reported 3,860 suspected human plague cases and 423 deaths, corresponding to an 11% fatality rate. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar accounted for 97.7% of these cases. The WHO emphasized the importance of continued surveillance and rapid outbreak response, particularly in areas where plague remains endemic.