Cholera Kills Over 3,000 Globally, Africa Accounts for Nearly 90% – WHO

Nigeria Among Seven Countries Bearing the Brunt of the Outbreak

By Emmanuel Kwada

More than 3,000 people have died from cholera worldwide in the first nine months of 2026, with Africa accounting for nearly nine out of every 10 deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed.

Nigeria is among seven countries responsible for about 90 per cent of global cholera cases and deaths recorded in 2025, raising concerns over the continuing threat of the preventable disease across the continent.

The WHO gave the figures on Tuesday, November 10, while warning that changing weather conditions, including the current El Niño pattern, could worsen outbreaks through flooding and water shortages.

Cholera could kill within hours if left untreated.

According to the UN health agency, cholera killed nearly 7,900 people globally in 2025, making it the deadliest year for the disease since 1999.

Lorenzo Pezzoli, WHO lead for epidemic-prone bacterial diseases, said although deaths had declined in the first nine months of 2026, the number of fatalities remained a serious concern.

He warned that cholera could kill within hours if left untreated, despite being preventable and relatively inexpensive to manage with available medicines.

The WHO identified Angola, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen as the seven countries that accounted for approximately 90 per cent of global cholera cases and deaths last year.

The development places Nigeria among the countries requiring sustained public health interventions, particularly in communities where access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation and timely medical treatment remains a challenge.

The WHO and the vaccine alliance, Gavi, are working towards reducing global cholera cases by 90 per cent by 2030 through mass vaccination campaigns, improved access to clean water and better sanitation facilities.

Pezzoli said the target remained achievable, pointing to ongoing international efforts, including the approval of 71 million vaccine doses last year by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision, with funding from Gavi.

The agency also said vaccines and rapid diagnostic tests were reaching outbreak areas more quickly, enabling health workers to identify infections and respond earlier.

It is also supporting countries to identify communities where cholera repeatedly occurs and develop targeted response plans.

Although the WHO acknowledged progress in controlling the disease, it warned that current interventions remained insufficient and called for stronger collective action to prevent further deaths.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection commonly spread through contaminated food and water. Without prompt treatment, severe cases can cause rapid dehydration and death.

For Nigeria, the WHO figures reinforce the need for stronger disease surveillance, improved access to safe water, effective waste management and prompt treatment in vulnerable communities.

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