The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded a total of 804,721 cases and 5,805 deaths from cholera worldwide throughout 2024, except for the Western Pacific, which represents an increase compared to the previous year when 535,321 infections and 4,007 deaths were reported. Although the number of cases and deaths has increased, the countries affected by this disease have decreased from 45 in 2023 to 33 in 2024, according to a WHO report.
The report also highlights that case and death data in December 2024 have decreased by 21 percent and five percent, respectively, compared to the same period of the previous year. The most affected region has been the Eastern Mediterranean, followed by the African Region, Southeast Asia, the Americas Region, and the European Region.
"Conflicts, mass displacement, disasters caused by natural hazards, and climate change have intensified outbreaks, particularly in rural and flood-affected areas where poor infrastructure and limited access to medical care delay treatment. These cross-border factors have made cholera outbreaks increasingly complex and more difficult to control," the health agency emphasized.
In December 2024, up to six countries in the Eastern Mediterranean documented 26,125 new cases, representing a 44 percent decline from November. Throughout the year 2024, 597,026 new cases were reported, with Yemen being the most affected country by infections, followed by Afghanistan and Pakistan. Regarding deaths, Sudan tops the list followed by Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
In Africa, 19,659 new cases have been reported in 14 countries during December, representing a 67 percent increase compared to the previous month, as well as a 126 percent increase in the number of deaths. From January 1 to December 29, 2024, a total of 177,570 cholera cases have been reported in 18 countries, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Nigeria being the most affected. The Southeast Asian Region has also experienced a decline in cases, highlighting Bangladesh. India is the country with the most cases and deaths in this region.
Haiti has been the only country in the Americas to document cases and deaths from cholera throughout the year. In the European Region, no new cases or deaths were reported in December 2024, but throughout the year, 221 cases and one death were reported, all in Mayotte (France).
The production process of oral cholera vaccines has been efficient, with more than 5.5 million doses produced in December, allowing the reserves to increase to 5.9 million doses. WHO has emphasized the importance of maintaining these reserves to respond effectively to the outbreaks of the disease. However, the growing global demand for these vaccines exceeds the supply, making it difficult to respond to control outbreaks and curb the spread of cholera.
