Africa faces worst cholera outbreak in 25 years; cases surge in Burundi, Angola
Africa is experiencing “the worst outbreak of cholera in 25 years,” with a surge of cases in Burundi and Angola, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced.
Data from Africa CDC shows that over 300,000 cholera cases have been recorded this year, up from roughly 254,000 last year, while more than 7,000 deaths have been reported across the continent, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, told a virtual press conference that cholera remains a “major issue” in Africa, with both the number of cases and deaths rising each year.
He stressed the need to fully implement the cholera response plan launched in Lusaka, Zambia, in August. The plan, running from September 2025 to February 2026, focuses on surveillance, case management, community engagement, logistics, and vaccination.
Recent weeks have seen a surge in cases in Angola and Burundi, largely due to fragile water infrastructure. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, cholera remains a significant problem, exacerbated by conflict and population displacement, although a slight decline in cases was reported this week.
Cholera, a bacterial infection caused by consuming contaminated water or food, has now spread across 23 African countries.
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