Cholera cases surge amid global vaccine shortage
Cholera cases have surged globally, with 804,721 reported in 2024, a near 50% increase from the previous year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease has resurged due to factors including conflict and climate change, leading to significant public health concerns.
In 2024, the WHO reported 804,721 cholera cases and 5,805 deaths, up from 535,321 cases and 4,007 deaths in 2023. Scientists estimate that the actual number of cases could be between 1.3 million and 4 million annually, with deaths ranging from 21,000 to 143,000 globally.
The resurgence has been particularly severe in countries like Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Angola, and Ghana, which have requested doses from the global cholera vaccine stockpile to help contain outbreaks. However, the stockpile has been depleted at times due to high demand and reliance on a single supplier, leaving it empty at certain points in 2024.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has set up cholera treatment units in affected regions, such as Gurei in South Sudan, where the disease has spread among displaced populations. The units provide rehydration treatment, antibiotics, and vaccination to control the outbreak.
The shortage of cholera vaccines remains a critical challenge. The global stockpile has been depleted at times, and the sole supplier, EuBiologics in South Korea, has been working to increase production. In 2024, EuBiologics delivered 40 million doses, the highest number ever, and aims to produce about 70 million doses in 2025.
Experts emphasize the importance of clean water and sanitation as the first line of defense against cholera. However, in conflict zones and areas with poor infrastructure, vaccines are essential to control the spread of the disease.
