Addis Ababa: Africa is facing its most severe cholera crisis in more than two decades, with soaring infections and deaths reported across several countries. Health officials say the continent has recorded nearly 300,000 confirmed and suspected cases in 2025 alone, claiming more than 7,000 lives so far.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the current figures mark a rise of over 30 percent compared with last year’s total of 254,075 cases. The agency has warned that cholera is spreading rapidly in parts of Angola, Burundi, and Sudan, where access to clean water remains critically low.
Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, said the continued rise reflects worsening conditions across conflict-hit regions. He noted that Angola has recorded over 33,500 cases and at least 866 deaths this year, while Burundi has reported more than 2,300 infections and 10 fatalities. Sudan remains the hardest hit, with more than 71,000 cases and over 2,000 deaths.
Cholera, a waterborne bacterial infection, spreads mainly through contaminated water and poor sanitation. It causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration and can kill within hours if untreated. The disease thrives in overcrowded areas, especially refugee camps and communities without access to safe drinking water.
Kaseya urged governments and aid agencies to focus on prevention by improving sanitation, restoring clean water systems, and controlling overcrowding in displaced populations. He said insecurity, population displacement, and a lack of basic hygiene supplies were major barriers to halting the spread.
In Sudan, the crisis has deepened amid ongoing conflict and the collapse of civilian infrastructure. Doctors Without Borders, known as MSF, has described the situation as the country’s worst outbreak in years. Its teams in Darfur treated more than 2,300 patients in just one week, reporting at least 40 deaths in local camps.
Experts warn that unless urgent action is taken to restore safe water supplies, cholera could continue to surge across Africa in the coming months, threatening millions already living under fragile health systems.
