Africa Faces Worst Cholera Outbreak in 25 Years: 300,000 Cases Recorded

Johannesburg, South Africa — Africa is dealing with its worst cholera outbreak in 25 years, with alarming surges reported in Angola and Burundi. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed on Thursday that approximately 300,000 confirmed and suspected cases have been recorded in 2025, with over 7,000 deaths.

This count represents an increase of more than 30 percent compared to the 254,075 cases reported in 2024. ‘Cholera is still a major issue,’ said Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya during a news briefing. ‘It’s like every year we have more and more cases.’

Specifically, Angola has recorded 33,563 cholera cases in 2025, which have led to 866 deaths. Meanwhile, Burundi has seen about 2,380 cases resulting in 10 deaths. Cholera is primarily spread through contaminated water and can lead to severe diarrhea and dehydration.

‘Without water, we cannot really control the outbreak,’ Kaseya said, highlighting that the rise in cases is linked to poor access to safe drinking water and ongoing conflicts across the continent. Health officials are urged to address not just the outbreak but also fundamental issues like overcrowding and sanitation in refugee camps.

In Sudan, the situation has become critical, particularly in the Darfur region, where about 40 cholera-related deaths have been reported in local refugee camps. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders noted that the ongoing conflict in Sudan has severely damaged infrastructure essential for water treatment.

As of now, Sudan has faced at least 71,728 cholera cases in 2025, with 2,012 fatalities. The CDC indicated previous outbreaks, like one in 2017, had considerable death tolls as well. The current humanitarian crisis exacerbates the problem, as contaminated water due to flooding has led to even higher case numbers.