Multi-country outbreak of cholera, External situation report #12 - 14 March 2024

Overview

Since the beginning of 2023, a cumulative total 787 813 cholera cases and 5586 deaths have been reported from 31 countries across five WHO regions, with the Eastern Mediterranean region recording the highest numbers, followed by the African, South-East Asia, Americas, and Western Pacific regions. No outbreaks have been reported in the European Region during this period.

The global cholera response continues to be affected by a critical shortage of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV). From January 2023 to February 2024, requests for OCV have surged, with 79 million doses requested by 14 countries, double the 40 million doses available during that period. The global stockpile of vaccines is awaiting replenishment and all production up to 4 March has been allocated to requests already approved.

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 continues to assess the risk at the global level as very high and the event remains classified as a grade 3 emergency.