Global cholera cases and deaths surge amid vaccine shortage: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a sharp increase in global cholera cases and deaths in November 2024 compared to last year.

From January to November, 733,956 cases and 5,162 deaths were recorded across 33 countries, with cases rising 37% and deaths 27% compared to the same period in 2023.

The surge, the WHO says, is driven by factors such as conflict, displacement, natural disasters, and climate change, particularly in rural and flood-affected regions with poor infrastructure and limited healthcare access.

While November marked record production of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCVs), boosting the monthly stockpile to 3.5 million doses, the WHO warned that vaccine supply still falls short of the five million doses needed for effective emergency response, calling for urgent action to scale up vaccine production.