Shortage of vaccines leads to sharp rise in Cholera cases worldwide

Cholera cases soared last year, according to preliminary data from the World Health Organization, which recorded 4,000 cholera deaths and 667,000 cases globally.

The numbers surpassed that of 2022, and the WHO has classified the global resurgence of cholera as a grade 3 emergency, its highest internal health emergency level.

Outbreaks were deadliest in Malawi and Haiti, where the number of deaths reached 1,771 and 1,156 respectively, making it the worst outbreak in Malawi’s history.

At least 30 other countries have reported cases since the beginning of 2024. Zambia reported 7,500 new cases since October and saw 500 new cases and 17 deaths in just 24 hours this week.

Given the spread of the outbreak to new countries and global shortage of cholera vaccines, the WHO said that it continued to assess the risk level of the disease as “very high”.