Central African Republic reports cholera outbreak with 24 deaths

Central African Republic reports cholera outbreak with 24 deaths
A Sudanese woman receives a dose of a cholera vaccine at Omdurman Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, 22 September, 2025. 
Reuters

The Central African Republic declared a cholera outbreak after 197 cases, including 24 deaths, were confirmed in two health districts southwest of the country’s capital Bangui, local media reported Saturday.

Health Minister Pierre Somse announced the outbreak Friday after cases were confirmed in the health districts of Bimbo and Mbaiki, according to Radio Ndeke Luka.

Somse said preventive measures had been put in place in the affected localities, villages and surrounding towns to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Health Ministry is conducting investigations to determine the origin of the outbreak, which Somse described as the country's fifth cholera epidemic.

He urged the public to observe good hygiene and called for collective responsibility in raising awareness to reduce the risk of transmission.

Regional health risks and wider concerns

According to the report, the outbreak came as the Central African Republic also faces the threat of Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

A Sudanese woman receives a dose of a cholera vaccine at Omdurman Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, 22 September, 2025. 
Reuters

Cholera affected 23 African countries last year, according to UNICEF. The disease is caused by consuming contaminated food or water.

Pierre Somse said the government was fully mobilised to contain the outbreak and urged the public to follow preventive measures and health guidance.

The World Health Organization reported that cholera cases in Southern Africa increased more than sevenfold in the first six weeks of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, driven by severe flooding linked to cyclones.

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