WHO reports surge in cholera cases, deaths

A logo is pictured outside a building of the World Health Organization (WHO) during an executive board meeting on update on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Geneva, Switzerland, April 6, 2021. —REUTERS FILE PHOTO

GENEVA—Global cholera cases and deaths continued to rise in 2024, with fatalities climbing sharply for the second consecutive year, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.

The data for the Philippines was not immediately available, but the United Nations health agency’s latest data showed cholera cases increased by 5 percent and deaths jumped by 50 percent compared to 2023.

More than 6,000 people died from the preventable and treatable disease last year. Sixty countries recorded cases in 2024, up from 45 the previous year.

Africa, the Middle East and Asia accounted for 98 percent of global infections.

The WHO stressed the need for stronger access to safe water and hygiene, accurate public information and rapid treatment and vaccination during outbreaks. It also underscored the importance of better surveillance, diagnostic tools and greater investment in vaccine production.