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The cholera outbreak in the WHO African Region in 2025 has affected 20 countries (Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). Côte d'Ivoire reported in cases in May, increasing the number of countries reporting cholera. Outbreaks have been declared over in Togo, while there have been no further cases in Namibia and South Africa following confirmed lone cases in March. In May 2025, cases increased in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe compared to the reported cases in April.

Cyclone Dikeledi hit on 13 January 2025, affecting Madagascar and Mozambique. Furthermore, Cyclone Jude made landfall on 10 March 2025, affecting the provinces of Nampula, Zambezia, Niassa, Tete, Manica, and Sofala in Mozambique. Meanwhile, Member States need to improve cholera preparedness and readiness, heightened surveillance, and scale up preventive and control measures in communities and around border crossings.

Since the beginning of 2025, the number of cholera cases and deaths reported to the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) as of 31 May was 124 712 and 2 536 respectively, with a case fatality ratio of 2.0% (same as reported as of the end of April). The top five countries affected so far are South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Ethiopia and Mozambique, which account for 92.3% (115 125) of the cases and 94.2% (2 389) deaths.

As of 31 May 2025, a cumulative total of 303 913 cholera cases, including 5 764 deaths (CFR: 1.9%), have been reported (Table 1) since 1 January 2024. Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Sudan account for 70.1% (213 152) of all cumulative cases and 72.3% (4 166) deaths reported.

The number of cases in May 2025 increased compared to April 2025 by 18.9% from 25 373 cases to 30 159. Deaths in May 2025 also increased compared to April 2025 by 8.0%, from 539 deaths to 582 (refer to Fig 2 - 4). The case fatality ratio (CFR) in May 2025 was 1.9% compared to 2.1% in April, which showed a decrease in the CFR. Thirteen countries reported cases in May 2025, compared to 14 countries in April 2025.