Cholera worldwide overview
Monthly update as of 3 May 2024
Since 1 March 2024 and as of 31 March 2024, 30 808 new cholera cases, including 289 new deaths, were reported worldwide. In addition, 27 302 new cases were reported or collected retrospectively from before 1 March 2024.
The five countries reporting most cases are Afghanistan (8 987), Ethiopia (5 172), Democratic Republic of the Congo (4 086), Zimbabwe (3 835) and Mozambique (2 092). The five countries reporting the most new deaths are Zimbabwe (74), Democratic Republic of the Congo (66), Zambia (37), Ethiopia (36) and Somalia (34).
New cases have been reported from Afghanistan, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Thailand, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Since 1 January 2024 and as of 30 March 2024, 97 336 cholera cases, including 1 246 deaths, have been reported worldwide. In comparison, since 1 January 2023 and as of 30 March 2023, 169 971 cholera cases, including 1 562 deaths, were reported worldwide.
Geographical distribution of cholera cases reported worldwide from April 2023 to March 2024
Since the last update, new cases and new deaths have been reported from:
Asia:
Afghanistan: Since 24 February 2024 and as of 30 March 2024, 8 987 new cases, including three new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 30 March 2024, 24 553 cases, including 13 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 20 March 2023, 22 848 cases, including seven deaths were reported.
Pakistan: Since 25 February 2024 and as of 17 March 2024, 1 431 new cases have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 17 March 2024, 4 876 cases have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 30 March 2023, no cases were reported.
Thailand: Since 25 February 2024 and as of 31 March 2024, four new cases have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 31 March 2024, six cases have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 26 March 2023, one case were reported.
Africa:
Burundi: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 49 new cases have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 107 cases have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 13 March 2023, 176 cases, including one death was reported.
Comoros: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 287 new cases, including six new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 419 cases, including 12 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 30 March 2023, no cases were reported.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 4 086 new cases, including 66 new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 9 699 cases, including 195 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 19 March 2023, 7 243 cases, including 47 deaths were reported.
Ethiopia: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 5 172 new cases, including 36 new deaths have been reported. Since 01 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 7 460 cases, including 54 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 12 March 2023, 955 cases, including 12 deaths were reported.
Kenya: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 21 new cases, including one new death has been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 186 cases, including one death has been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 06 March 2023, 2 721 cases, including 32 deaths were reported.
Malawi: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 29 new cases have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 216 cases, including three deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 28 March 2023, 38 642 cases, including 1 136 deaths were reported.
Mozambique: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 2 092 new cases, including four new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 6 127 cases, including 11 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 12 March 2023, 8 259 cases, including 47 deaths were reported.
Nigeria: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 149 new cases, including two new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 318 cases, including four deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 28 February 2023, 672 cases, including 25 deaths were reported.
Somalia: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 2 013 new cases, including 34 new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 4 956 cases, including 60 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 12 February 2023, 1 307 cases, including one death was reported.
Uganda: Since 29 January 2024 and as of 29 February 2024, 25 new cases, including one new death has been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 February 2024, 38 cases, including one death has been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 30 March 2023, no cases were reported.
United Republic of Tanzania: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 24 March 2024, 572 new cases, including 26 new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 24 March 2024, 1 846 cases, including 32 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 13 March 2023, 72 cases, including three deaths were reported.
Zambia: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 2 081 new cases, including 37 new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 18 938 cases, including 591 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 12 March 2023, 225 cases, including five deaths were reported.
Zimbabwe: Since 29 February 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 3 835 new cases, including 74 new deaths have been reported. Since 1 January 2024 and as of 29 March 2024, 15 046 cases, including 231 deaths have been reported. In comparison, in 2023 and as of 27 March 2023, 317 cases, including eight deaths were reported.
In 2024, no updates have been reported by: Cameroon and South Africa
ECDC assessment
Cholera cases have continued to be reported on the African continent and in South East Asia in recent months. Cholera outbreaks have also been reported in parts of the Middle East and in two countries in the Americas. Despite the number of cholera outbreaks reported worldwide, few cases are reported each year among travellers returning to the EU/EEA.
In this context, the risk of cholera infection in travellers visiting these countries remains low, even though sporadic importation of cases to the EU/EEA remains possible.
In 2022, 29 cases were reported by nine EU/EEA countries, while two were reported in 2021 and none in 2020. In 2019, 25 cases were reported in EU/EEA countries. All cases had a travel history to cholera-affected areas.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccination should be considered for travellers at higher risk, such as emergency and relief workers who are likely to be directly exposed. Vaccination is generally not recommended for other travellers. Travellers to cholera-endemic areas should seek advice from travel health clinics to assess their personal risk and apply precautionary sanitary and hygiene measures to prevent infection. Such measures can include drinking bottled water or water treated with chlorine, carefully washing fruit and vegetables with bottled or chlorinated water before consumption, regularly washing hands with soap, eating thoroughly cooked food and avoiding consumption of raw seafood products
Actions
ECDC continues to monitor cholera outbreaks globally through its epidemic intelligence activities in order to identify significant changes in epidemiology and provide timely updates to public health authorities. Reports are published on a monthly basis. The worldwide overview of cholera outbreaks is available on ECDC's website.
Disclaimer: Data presented in this report originate from several sources, both official public health authorities and non-official, such as the media. Data completeness depends on the availability of reports from surveillance systems and their accuracy, which varies between countries. All data should be interpreted with caution as there may be areas of under-reporting and figures may not reflect the actual epidemiological situation.
