The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with a rapidly escalating cholera outbreak that has entered an “acute phase”, according to Health Minister Roger Kamba.
Speaking at a press conference held in Kinshasa on Thursday, July 10, he explained that since January 2025, over 33,000 cases have been recorded nationwide, surpassing the total number of infections in 2024 . With a fatality rate of around 2 percent, the disease is spreading swiftly, now affecting 17 out of the country’s 26 provinces—an increase from 14 provinces just a day earlier. The capital, Kinshasa, is reporting approximately 130 new cases weekly, many of them fatal.
In response to the worsening crisis, the government is establishing new treatment centres in Kinshasa and providing free medical care to confirmed cholera patients. The health minister also warned of a concurrent resurgence of mpox, describing the overall situation as a “critical crisis.” The DRC initially declared a cholera outbreak on 5 May, following laboratory confirmation of infections in multiple provinces. The World Health Organization continues to monitor the outbreak closely as authorities race to contain the spread.