GENEVA - The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday that cholera outbreaks, driven by conflict and poverty, are worsening across multiple countries and pose a significant global public health challenge.

The latest Disease Outbreak News said that 409,000 cholera cases and 4,738 deaths were reported across 31 countries between Jan 1 and Aug 17, with six countries reporting case fatality rate exceeding 1 percent.

According to the data, the Eastern Mediterranean Region registered the highest number of cases, while the African Region reported the most deaths.

The report warns that conflict, mass displacement, natural disasters, and climate change are driving the spread of cholera, particularly in rural and flood-affected areas with weak infrastructure and limited healthcare access. These cross-border challenges have made outbreaks increasingly complex and difficult to contain.

WHO stresses that access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene remains the only sustainable long-term solution to end the current cholera emergency and prevent future ones. Given the scale, severity, and interconnected nature of the outbreaks, the risk of further spread both within and across countries is assessed as very high.

To curb transmission, WHO recommends strengthening surveillance, improving case management, scaling up Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions, conducting vaccination campaigns, and enhancing cross-border coordination to implement public health measures.