The World Health Organization announced that thousands of cases of cholera had been recorded during the month of June, noting that at least 160 people had died from the disease.
According to the organization’s statement, infections and deaths were distributed among 18 countries, with the number of infections decreasing by 14% compared to May.
The organization recorded 32,467 new infections in the Eastern Mediterranean region, about 18.7 thousand cases in Afghanistan, more than 6.6 thousand cases in Yemen, and more than 5.2 thousand cases in Pakistan, and the total number of infections recorded during the period from January 1 to June 30, 2024 reached 25. The country reached 249,793 infections.
Since January 2023, the World Health Organization has considered the spread of the cholera epidemic a “level 3 emergency,” the highest level of complexity.
The organization’s statement stated that the outbreak of the disease around the world, and the lack of vaccines and other resources, prompts the organization to assess the global risks as very high.
The world is suffering from a severe shortage of the oral cholera vaccine. Since January 2023, 17 countries have requested 102 million doses, while only 51 million doses were produced during this period. On July 8, 2024, the global stock of cholera vaccines reached only 7.5 million doses.
Cholera is a serious disease caused by the infectious Vibrio cholerae, and is transmitted when bacteria enter the body with food or water.
Attempted attack on a ship 60 miles off the coast of Yemen’s Hodeidah