A reports by the World Health Organisation (United Nations) revealed that there has been a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of this year.
The global health body, World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world.
In a fresh report, the United Nations body revealed that there has been a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of this year.
According to the report, Eastern Mediterranean Region recorded the highest number of cases reported, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.
There were no reported cases in the Western Pacific Region, it said in a bulletin issued on Wednesday.
The UN health agency said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) by March but was able to exceed “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”
Yet, the supply of the vaccine does not equate to its demand.
WHO reported that since January 2023, 16 countries had requested 92 million doses of OCV – almost double the 49 million produced during that time.
WHO, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners are working together to use resources to find long-term solutions for cholera.