Cholera deaths rise 30% in 2025, Seven countries account for 91% of deaths
The World Health Organization reported that cholera deaths rose by 30% in 2025, reaching the highest annual toll since 1999 despite a decrease in total cases. Seven countries, primarily in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, accounted for the vast majority of these fatalities, often linked to conflict and displacement.
Why it matters
The data highlights a critical global health crisis where conflict-driven instability is directly hindering disease control and increasing mortality rates.
The World Health Organization has reported a significant rise in cholera deaths last year, despite seeing overall fewer cases reported.
In 2025, 47 countries, territories, and areas reported 451,499 cholera cases and 7,870 deaths. This is the highest number of annual cholera deaths reported to WHO since 1999.
Seven countries reported more than 10,000 cholera cases: Yemen (93,463 cases; 246 deaths), South Sudan (79,480; 1258), Sudan (73,597; 2161), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (71,168; 2071), Angola (36,341; 895), Nigeria (24,354; 548), and Bangladesh (22,709; no deaths reported). Together, they accounted for 89% of reported cases and 91% of reported deaths.
All seven countries recorded conflict- or disaster-related internal displacement during the year. Angola was the only country to newly exceed 10,000 reported cases in 2025, after reporting no cases in 2024.
Cholera: A significant global health concern
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