GNV News, 2 October 2026

While the number of cholera cases reported worldwide in 2025 decreased compared to the previous year, the number of deaths increased. On 29 September 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) released data on the global cholera situation in 2025, announcing that 451,499 cases and 7,870 deaths had been reported from 47 countries. This is the highest annual cholera death toll recorded by WHO since 1999.

Cholera is an acute bacterial intestinal infection caused by toxigenic Vibrio cholerae, transmitted through the consumption of water or food contaminated with the bacteria. It spreads easily in areas where access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation, and hygienic practices is insufficient. However, cholera is fundamentally a preventable and treatable disease. If access to safe water and sanitation is ensured and people who become infected can receive appropriate treatment at an early stage, many deaths can be averted. Why, then, are deaths from cholera increasing?

According to a report by WHO, the number of cholera cases reported in 2025 decreased by 19.5% from 560,823 cases in 2024 to 451,499 cases, while the number of deaths increased by 30.6% from 6,028 to 7,870. WHO statistics are based on data reported through national surveillance systems, and reporting systems and case detection methods differ by country. In addition, no data were submitted by 77 countries in 2025, and 81 countries reported “zero cases.” Therefore, the actual global situation cannot be assessed solely from increases or decreases in reported case numbers. That said, in 2025, seven countries—Yemen, South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Nigeria, and Bangladesh—accounted for about 89% of reported cases and about 91% of deaths. It has been pointed out that in many of the countries with high cholera incidence, other crises such as conflict and disaster-related internal displacement overlap with the outbreak.

Conflict can destroy infrastructure such as water supply and sewage systems, make it difficult to access medical facilities, and undermine the capacity to respond to infectious diseases. In addition, when people are forced to flee and large numbers gather in limited spaces, it becomes even more difficult to secure safe water and sanitary conditions.

Furthermore, climate-related disasters such as floods and cyclones can also impede access to safe water. WHO notes that climate change-related events, population movements, and conflicts can all be factors that increase the risk of cholera outbreaks.

Learn more about cholera → “Yemen: The Worsening Cholera Crisis”

Cholera prevention efforts in Niger (Photo: European Union 2018 / Flickr [CC BY-NC 2.0])