Abu dhabi: The World Health Organisation (WHO): The global cholera situation continues to deteriorate, driven by conflict and poverty, posing a significant public health challenge across multiple WHO regions.
According to Emirates News Agency, WHO reported that between 1st January and 17th August 2025, a total of 409,222 cholera/Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) cases and 4,738 deaths were recorded globally, spanning 31 countries. Six of these countries reported case fatality rates exceeding 1%, highlighting serious gaps in case management and delayed access to care.
The data reveals that the Eastern Mediterranean Region experienced the highest number of cases, while the African Region suffered the largest number of deaths. This situation complicates containment efforts and places additional strain on fragile health systems.
Conflict, mass displacement, natural disasters, and climate change have intensified outbreaks, particularly in rural and flood-affected areas where poor infrastructure and limited healthcare access delay treatment. These cross-border factors have made cholera outbreaks increasingly complex and harder to control.
The report underscores that safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene are the only long-term and sustainable solutions to ending this cholera emergency and preventing future outbreaks.