Cholera Crisis Deepens in Africa, Surpassing Last Year’s Death Toll: Africa CDC
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Cholera continues to be the most pressing public health threat facing Africa, with a surge in cases and fatalities already exceeding the total for all of 2024, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (africa CDC) warned Thursday.
As of September 6, 2025, 23 African countries have reported a combined 239,754 cholera cases and over 5,274 deaths since the start of the year, resulting in a 2.2% case fatality rate. This figure already surpasses the 4,725 deaths recorded across the continent in 2024.
“This is much higher than what we had in 2024 in terms of the number of deaths,” stated Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager for mpox at the Africa CDC, during an online media briefing. “A total of 23 countries are currently affected, which highlights the need for a stronger multi-sectoral approach.”
The outbreak is occurring against a backdrop of increasing public health emergencies across africa. The Africa CDC reports over 166 moderate-to-high risk public health events have been recorded so far in 2025,a trend expected to continue and surpass 2024’s numbers.
Boum II attributed the escalating crisis to a confluence of factors, including climate change and ongoing conflicts, specifically citing the situation in Sudan. “The crisis that we see in Sudan affected the accelerated spread of cholera in Sudan, Chad, and South Sudan,” he explained.Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. Without prompt treatment, the resulting severe dehydration can prove fatal within hours.
The Africa CDC identifies inadequate access to clean water and sanitation as the primary driver of recurring cholera outbreaks. This issue is compounded by instability and security challenges, as well as overburdened healthcare systems already struggling to manage multiple disease outbreaks and public health emergencies across the continent.
