DR Congo Faces Worst Cholera Outbreak in 25 Years as Nearly 2,000 Die — UNICEF

The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling its deadliest cholera outbreak in a quarter of a century, with nearly 2,000 deaths recorded since January, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday. The humanitarian agency says the crisis is accelerating at an alarming rate, with children bearing the brunt.

In one harrowing incident reported by UNICEF, 16 out of 62 children in a Kinshasa orphanage died within days as cholera swept through the centre — a stark illustration of the emergency gripping the country.

UNICEF spokesperson John Agbor voiced deep distress over the escalating toll.

“Congolese children should not be so gravely affected by what is a wholly preventable disease,” he said.

A Preventable Killer Thriving Amid Congo’s Fragility

Cholera — a fast-moving, potentially lethal infection — thrives in environments with poor sanitation, unsafe water and weak health systems. In the DRC, years of armed conflict, displacement, poverty and crumbling infrastructure have created ideal conditions for outbreaks to spread unchecked.

African health officials had earlier sounded the alarm in November after observing rising cholera cases across Angola, Burundi and several other nations, reporting a 30% surge across the continent in 2024.

Nationwide Spread, Children Most at Risk

In the DRC alone:

• 64,427 cases have been recorded in 2025
• 1,888 deaths
• 14,818 infections among children
• 340 child deaths

Seventeen out of the country’s 26 provinces are currently affected, stretching an already fragile health system to breaking point.

UNICEF’s assessment highlights the dire state of water and sanitation access nationwide:

• Only 43% of citizens can access basic water services — the lowest rate on the continent
• Just 15% have basic sanitation facilities

Funding Gaps Threaten Cholera Response

The Congolese government has developed a $192 million cholera elimination strategy, but funding remains far from adequate. UNICEF says it urgently needs an additional $6 million for 2026 to sustain its rapid response teams, supply essential medical kits and support water and hygiene interventions.

Agbor warned that without immediate donor support:

“Many more lives could be lost.”