Worst-ever cholera outbreak in Malawi kills more than 1,200, with "very high" risk of spread

Brazzaville — The deadliest cholera outbreak in Malawi's history has killed at least 1,210 people, while vaccines remain scarce and several other African nations report outbreaks, the World Health Organization said Thursday. The southern African nation has been battling its worst cholera outbreak on record, with nearly 37,000 cases reported since March 2022.

Confirmed cases have already been reported across the border in Mozambique, while the WHO said it assessed the current risk of spread inside Malawi and to other neighboring countries as "very high."

The WHO said in a statement that active transmission was now ongoing in 27 out of Malawi's 29 districts, with the country seeing a 143-percent increase in the number of cases last month compared to December.