DR Congo Faces Escalating Cholera Crisis With Nearly 1,000 Deaths.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with a severe cholera outbreak that has claimed nearly 1,000 lives, as the disease spreads across 17 of the country’s 26 provinces. Health Minister Roger Kamba announced at a press conference in Kinshasa that over 33,000 cases have been recorded since January 2025, surpassing the 31,749 cases reported throughout 2024, with a case fatality rate nearing 2%. The outbreak, declared on 5 May following laboratory confirmation, has reached an acute phase, with infections continuing to rise, particularly in the capital, Kinshasa, where 130 new cases are reported weekly.
The epidemic’s rapid spread is exacerbated by ongoing challenges, including severe flooding in eastern provinces, high population mobility along the Congo River, and limited access to healthcare in remote areas. Newly affected provinces include Kwilu, Mai-Ndombe, and Mongala, joining 14 others, with Kinshasa among the hardest hit, reporting cases in 27 of its 35 health zones. The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the strain on hospital and funeral capacities, with the government opening new treatment centres in Kinshasa and providing free care to confirmed patients to curb the crisis.
Compounding the situation, the DRC is also battling a resurgence of mpox, with over 37,000 confirmed cases and 1,000 suspected deaths reported since early 2024, alongside a recent cluster of unexplained deaths in Equateur province, initially feared to be a new disease but later attributed to severe malaria. Health Minister Kamba noted that the country’s vulnerability to epidemics stems from a combination of natural disasters, mass displacement, and poor water and sanitation infrastructure. The WHO has emphasised that these factors, coupled with ongoing armed conflicts and population movements, elevate the risk of cholera spreading regionally, particularly to neighbouring countries like Rwanda and Uganda.
Efforts to contain the outbreak are underway, with the WHO and partners supporting case detection, treatment, and the provision of sanitation facilities. However, a nationwide strike by the Free Doctors’ Union (SYLIMED), launched in response to unmet government commitments, has further strained the health system. The union reported deaths among frontline health workers combating cholera, underscoring the dire conditions faced by medical staff. UNICEF has also raised alarms, noting that over 8,000 children under five in North Kivu alone were infected in the first seven months of 2023, marking the worst cholera outbreak in six years.
Despite these challenges, response teams are intensifying efforts, with rapid response units deployed to collect samples and enhance surveillance. The government and international partners are calling for increased medical supplies and funding to address the crisis. The situation remains critical, with the DRC’s health system under immense pressure as it confronts multiple epidemics and systemic challenges, raising concerns about the potential for further escalation if immediate action is not sustained.