Africa Cholera Death Toll Exceeds 6,700 in 2025
- Africa is experiencing a meaningful surge in cholera cases and fatalities.
- Yap Boum II, Deputy Incident Manager for mpox at the Africa CDC, highlighted the severity of the situation during an online media briefing.
- South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola are currently the most severely impacted countries.
Cholera, mpox, and Measles Surge Across Africa in 2025
Table of Contents
Updated October 24, 2025, at 13:40:58 UTC
Rising Cholera Cases and deaths
Africa is experiencing a meaningful surge in cholera cases and fatalities. As of October 24, 2025, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported 294,244 cholera cases and 6,795 deaths across 23 African countries since the beginning of 2025. this represents a significant increase compared to 2022, with case numbers and deaths nearly tripling.
Yap Boum II, Deputy Incident Manager for mpox at the Africa CDC, highlighted the severity of the situation during an online media briefing. The current case fatality rate stands at 2.3 percent, exceeding rates observed in previous years. The numbers for both affected countries and deaths have already surpassed those recorded for the entirety of 2024.
Most Affected Countries
South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola are currently the most severely impacted countries. These nations face a combination of factors contributing to the outbreaks,including limited access to clean water and sanitation,overburdened healthcare systems,and the presence of other concurrent public health emergencies.
Mpox and Measles Add to public Health Challenges
Cholera is not the only public health concern facing the continent. The Africa CDC also reported significant numbers of mpox and measles cases.Approximately 30 African countries have recorded over 202,900 mpox cases and 2,086 related deaths since early 2024,with a fatality rate of around 1 percent. Additionally, 20 countries have reported 127,002 measles cases and 1,086 deaths in 2025.
Underlying Causes and Contributing factors
The Africa CDC attributes the recurring cholera outbreaks primarily to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure. This is exacerbated by strained health systems and the simultaneous occurrence of multiple public health crises. Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, leading to severe dehydration and potentially death within hours if left untreated. World Health Organization – Cholera
Looking Ahead: Prevention and Response
Addressing these outbreaks requires a multi-faceted approach, including improved water and sanitation infrastructure, strengthened healthcare systems, and robust surveillance and response mechanisms.The Africa CDC is working with member states to implement these strategies and mitigate the impact of these diseases. Further information on the Africa CDC’s response efforts can be found on their official website: Africa CDC Official Website