The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday, June 20, announced a resurgence of cholera cases across multiple regions worldwide.
Nearly 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths have been reported in 24 countries since the beginning of the year.
According to WHO, the Eastern Mediterranean Region recorded the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.
No cases were reported in the Western Region.
WHO revealed that its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) was depleted by March.
Despite exceeding the emergency target of five million doses in early June, demand for the vaccine continues to outstrip supply.
Since January last year, 16 countries have requested 92 million doses of OCV, nearly double the 49 million doses produced during the same period.
WHO, along with UNICEF and other partners, is collaborating to address the long-term challenges posed by cholera.
Additionally, WHO announced that Chad has successfully eliminated “sleeping sickness” as a public health concern.
Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus commended the Government and people of Chad for eradicating the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis, marking a significant milestone in global health efforts against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Also read: Cholera Outbreak: Why Lagosians Are At Higher Risk
