- The recent cholera outbreak data from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the preventable nature of the disease.
- It is caused by ingesting contaminated water or food with bacteria Vibrio cholerae.
- It can cause severe diarrhoea, vomiting, leg cramps, and weakness, and people with low immunity such as malnourished children and people living with HIV/AIDS are at greater risk of death if infected.
- WHO reports a 17% increase in cholera deaths and a 13% rise in cases globally last year.
- Conflicts, unsafe water, poor sanitation, and climate change contribute to this surge, especially in Africa, where cases have more than doubled.
- The ongoing cholera vaccine shortage has forced the use of a single-dose regimen to maximize limited supplies.
- The Global Task Force for Cholera Control (GTFCC) by WHO launched a ‘Global Roadmap for Ending Cholera by 2030’, focusing on multi-sectoral interventions, from disease reporting to hygiene promotion and oral cholera vaccine (OCV) campaigns.
Dig Deeper: Read about diseases caused by unsafe drinking water like Typhoid.
