WHO: More than 3,000 cholera deaths in nine months — The Rio Times

The World Health Organization reported that more than 3,000 people worldwide died of cholera between January and September 2026. Nearly nine out of ten deaths occurred in Africa, The Rio Times reports, citing the WHO.

According to Lorenzo Pezzoli, the WHO lead for epidemic-prone bacterial diseases, the number of deaths in the first nine months of the year was lower than during the same period in 2025. At the same time, he stressed that cholera is preventable and treatable.

Data for 2025

According to the WHO, cholera claimed nearly 7,900 lives in 2025, making it the deadliest year for the disease since 1999. Around 90% of global cases and deaths last year occurred in Angola, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.

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Cholera is transmitted through contaminated water or food and can cause death within hours without treatment. The WHO warned that El Niño could intensify outbreaks due to flooding and water shortages.

Vaccination and sanitation

The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved 71 million doses of cholera vaccine for emergency needs in 2025, the WHO said. The WHO and the global alliance Gavi support mass vaccination campaigns and improved access to clean water and sanitation.

Pezzoli said that the goal of eliminating cholera as a public health threat by 2030 remains achievable.