Global Cholera Outbreak: Mid-2025 Situation Report and Vaccine Shortage
The global cholera situation remains a significant concern, with a multi-country outbreak persisting across various regions. Here's a detailed breakdown of the information from January 1 to June 29, 2025:
Scope of the Outbreak (January 1 to June 29, 2025):
Total Cases and Deaths: A cumulative total of 305,903 cholera cases and 3,522 deaths were reported globally during this six-month period.
Affected Countries: The outbreak impacted 28 countries across three World Health Organization (WHO) regions:
Eastern Mediterranean Region: This region reported the highest number of cases (159,414 cases from six countries) and a significant number of deaths (593). Countries with notable case counts include Yemen, Afghanistan, and Sudan.
African Region: This region reported 143,762 cases from 19 countries and the highest number of deaths (2,928). High-burden countries include South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.
South-East Asia Region: This region reported 2,727 cases from five countries and one death (in India). Countries with reported cases include Myanmar, India, and Nepal.
Trends in June 2025 (Epidemiological Weeks 23-26): In June alone, 62,330 new cholera and/or acute watery diarrhea (AWD) cases were reported from 20 countries. While this represents an 8% decrease in cases from May 2025, cholera-related deaths also saw an 8% decrease globally from the previous month (May 2025). However, a crucial point of comparison is with the same period last year: compared to June 2024, the number of cases in June 2025 was 21% lower, but cholera-related deaths were 38% higher.
Contributing Factors to Persistent Outbreaks:
The WHO and other organizations consistently highlight the complex interplay of factors driving these ongoing outbreaks:
Conflict and Mass Displacement: Ongoing conflicts and the resulting displacement of populations often lead to disrupted water and sanitation systems, overcrowding, and limited access to healthcare, creating ideal conditions for cholera to spread rapidly.
Natural Disasters and Climate Change: Extreme weather events such as floods and droughts can contaminate water sources and further displace communities, significantly exacerbating cholera risks.
Poor Infrastructure and Limited Healthcare Access: Especially in rural and flood-affected areas, inadequate infrastructure for clean water and sanitation, coupled with limited access to timely medical care, severely hinders effective outbreak control and treatment efforts.
Growing Global Demand for Vaccines: Despite efforts to increase production, the rising global demand for Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) continues to outpace the available supply.
Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) Stockpile Status:
Below Emergency Level: In June 2025, the average stockpile of OCV was 2.9 million doses. This marks the first time in six months that the stockpile has fallen below the emergency threshold of 5 million doses.
Implications of Shortage: The constrained vaccine supply significantly hinders global efforts to:
Control ongoing cholera outbreaks rapidly.
Respond effectively to new disease spread.
Implement crucial preventive vaccination campaigns in at-risk areas.
Stockpile Management: The global OCV stockpile is managed by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) for cholera vaccine, established in 2013 to ensure the timely deployment of vaccines during outbreaks. In situations of supply constraint, the ICG prioritizes doses for emergency response over preventive campaigns.
Production and Demand Dynamics: While overall vaccine production has been robust, it has struggled to meet the consistently growing global demand. This has led to a cyclical situation where, despite efforts to replenish, the stockpile often falls below the desired emergency level as soon as orders are fulfilled for urgent outbreak responses.
The overall situation underscores the ongoing and complex challenges in controlling cholera globally, particularly with the combined pressures of humanitarian crises, environmental factors, and limited vaccine resources.
I'm Aisha shehu
Talksocialtalka News
