A devastating cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has infected more than 30,900 people and killed at least 664 since the start of 2025, according to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), which issued an emergency alert on Sunday. The outbreak is rapidly spreading through vulnerable provinces already burdened by insecurity, displacement, and the collapse of critical water and sanitation systems.
Most of the deaths have occurred within communities rather than treatment centers, highlighting both a delayed access to care and the fragile state of the DRC’s public health infrastructure. The World Health Organization (WHO), which has confirmed the numbers, notes that areas like South Kivu, Haut-Katanga, and Tanganyika are among the hardest hit.
According to health officials, the case fatality rate hovers around 2 percent, which is above the emergency threshold and indicates significant gaps in early detection and response. WHO and the DRC’s Ministry of Health have deployed emergency teams and established cholera treatment units in high-risk zones, but access remains difficult in remote or conflict-ridden areas.
Flooding, population displacement, and poor hygiene conditions are fueling the crisis. The eastern regions of DRC, long affected by armed conflict and weak governance, have become a breeding ground for waterborne diseases like cholera. In many affected communities, clean water and soap are luxuries, not basics.
