Multi-country outbreak of cholera, External situation report #13 - 17 April 2024

Overview

Since the beginning of 2023, a cumulative total 824 479 cholera cases and 5900 deaths were reported from 31 countries across five WHO regions, as of 31 March 2024, with the Eastern Mediterranean region recording the highest numbers, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the South-East Asia Region, the Western Pacific Region. No outbreaks were reported in the European Region during this time.

The cholera response continues to be affected by a critical shortage of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV). Since January 2023, OCV requests have surged, with 79 million doses requested by 14 countries, double the 40 million doses available during this period. The global stockpile of vaccines was depleted until the beginning of March. As of 15 April, the stockpile has 2.3 million doses, which is below the global stockpile target of five million doses.    

WHO classified the global resurgence of cholera as a grade 3 emergency in January 2023, its highest internal level for emergencies. Based on the number of outbreaks and their geographic expansion, alongside the shortage of vaccines and other resources, WHO re-assed the risk at the global level as very high and the event remains classified as a grade 3 emergency.